The Secert Faerie Wars
by Michiru Lee
Summary: You travel to a house known to be the last place where a human warrior girl was said to have fought in a secret war called the Second Faerie Wars. She tells you her story of how she came to Neopia and about the beings called the Drakens.
1. The Destruction of Terra

_You come upon a small dark house out in the outskirts of Altador. The rain in the sky poured heavy upon you as you ran up to the house and knocked on the door to get in from the cold and rain. As you made another attempt to pound on the door it creaks open and you step inside. You read about this house in an old book. It said the house was a legend and nothing more, yet here you are standing in the house that doesn't exist. _

_The legend told about the town that was called Terra where a lone warrior human girl, who was raised by Faeries, defeated a being that no one in Neopia saw before. The beings called Drakens. You came here to find out if the legend was true._

_You look on the walls to see pictures of a young girl dress in black welding a sword made of fire and ice. She had black hair with the deepest emerald green eyes you ever saw. The eyes were sad in the picture, but her face showed courage and wisdom. You reach out to touch the picture when a hand was placed on your shoulder._

"_Welcome to my home," a voice said in greeting. "Are you another looking for my story?"_

_You turn around to see a young woman of 18 years staring at you with her deep emerald green eyes. She looked just like the girl in the picture except with brown hair. She was wearing a tight purple shirt with black jeans. On her feet were metal tipped boots. On her back was a masamune. _

"_Did ya lose your tongue young one?" she ask you in amusement._

"_Well… I came here… To see if it was true," you say to her._

"_The legend or the person in the legend? I'll tell you right now the truth is a sad one," she replies._

"_I want to know everything about Terra and the Drakens," you say. "Ever since I've read about the legend I wondered about them."_

_The girl laughs as she motions you to sit down in a chair that seemed to appear from behind you. She sits down on a soft armchair and smiles at you._

"_Then where to start. I warn ya that this is a long story, best to start from when I came into Neopia," she says._

_You gapped your jaw in surprise as she laughs again at you._

"_Yes I am that girl in the picture. That picture is about eighteen years old now in Neopian years. My name is Dragon "Michiru" Dragonwolf…"_

Dragon was dressed in a tight black shirt with black pants. She refused to wear the shoes her grandparents held out to her. She was a young 12 year old girl with black hair and deep emerald green eyes. She had fair skin and was developing into quite a lovely lady as her grandma said.

Dragon didn't have any parents anymore. Her mother disappeared from her life when she was five and her father was never around to be a role model to her. She was mostly raised by her grandparents and she didn't mind. She got good grades in school and did everything she was told to do, except she refused to wear shoes.

"Michiru please put on your shoes," her grandmother said to her, calling her by her birth name.

"First off woman, my name is Dragon, and second off, I'm not wearing any shoes," Dragon said. She smiled her special smile when she knew she would get her way. It was a slight smirk with a special gleam to it.

"Fine… Dragon please put on your shoes," her grandmother sighed.

"No."

"Please Dragon."

"No."

Her grandmother gave up and dropped the shoes on the ground. She walks away from Dragon and goes back to getting ready to go to her job as a cafeteria working in an elementary school.

Dragon sighed since she was off from school today and would be home alone. Her grandfather was working in his hospital job as a boiler person still and her father; well she didn't care where he was. Chrissy, her sister had school in the High School as well did her brother so she could either sleep the day away or have fun.

"Bye Dragon! Don't do anything to blow the house up!" her grandmother called as she got into the van to head for work. Dragon smiled and jumped off her seat and went out the back door. Outside there was a 4ft-deep 24ft-round pool with a 20ft-wide deck connected to it.

She ran up the deck stairs and looked up into the sky at the sun just rising into the sky. She sat near the pool edge staring at the reflection for the sky and sun when she noticed something else reflecting in the pool water.

There was stars reflecting out of the water at her and the scene was night. There was no sun reflecting in the water but the moon. She looked up into the sky and it seemed night fell upon her in a blink of an eye. She glanced at the house and saw it just as still as she left it a few moments ago and knew she wasn't seeing things.

Dragon looked back at the water to see the sun in the reflection again, but it was still night around her. She put her hand in the water and felt nothing… No wetness, no cold, it was like the water wasn't even there.

Then a force pushed her from behind and she felt herself fall into the water. She braced herself for the impact, but she felt nothing. It was like she was floating on thin air. She sank into the water and let herself fall into the depths of wherever she was. She closed her eyes and let herself fall into darkness.

Something soft was touching her on her face as she came back from the darkness. Bright sunlight hit her in the eyes as she opened them to see where she was. Blinked her eyes to cast the blindness from them and saw an amazing sight.

Before her was a field of flowers of all different colors. Pink, blue, green, yellow, red, gold, silver, purple, and even orange flowers blooming in the field before her. She looked out over the field to see the ocean and felt the breeze on her face. Dragon slowly got up from the ground and glanced around to see if she saw anything. Ahead of her she saw a small town and it looked at it was covered in flowers. She decided to see who lived there and walked towards the town.

As Dragon came upon the town she saw strange creatures she had never seen before. There were tiger-like creatures, wolf-like creatures and many more that couldn't be explained. She walked towards the center of town in a glaze and didn't notice the creatures staring at her as she walked by.

She came upon a house covered in blue roses that were being tended by fairy beings it looked like. She saw dark type, light type, and even one that has fire for hair. Dragon watched as they did there work and felt a hand on her shoulder.

"What is a human doing here I wonder," a voice said from behind Dragon. She turned around to see a water type fairy rising out of the river that she didn't noticed there before. She had golden eyes and long black hair held up by a golden crown. On her fin she had silver scales.

"Where am I?" Dragon asked the fairy.

"Why in Neopia of course. It's rare that we see a human here," the water fairy said. "And I'm what you would call a Water Faerie. My name is Feliea."

"My name is Dragon, Dragon Dragonwolf," Dragon replied.

"Well then. Welcome to the family Dragon," Feliea said.

Dragon nodded but the comment ran past her in her mind. "Welcome to the family? Wait? I can't go home?" Dragon asked.

Feliea shook her head at Dragon and gave her a frown. "I'm sorry… I don't know how to help you back to your world. No human has ever found a way to return to their world as of yet," she said sadly.

Dragon wondered about how her grandparents would react to her missing, and then remembered that she was abandoned by her parents. She heard the talks her grandparent had about the low income and the hardships for raising her. Maybe it would be better if she never returned home. Her grandparents could get along better without her.

She felt confuse by these thoughts. She loved her grandparents and she knew that they love her, but Dragon just couldn't gasp the thought of not returning. She looked at Feliea her eyes cleared of the confusion. She couldn't worry about this now. If she had a chance to go home she would think about it then, but for now Dragon had to take it one step at a time.

"Then I must agree to come with you then. I bet I have many things to learn," Dragon said.

"Good then! I'll show to the house and once you learn more about Neopia the training will start," Feliea said.

"Training?" Dragon questioned to herself.

Dragon spent many months learning about Neopia and the creatures that Feliea called Neopets. She also explained to Dragon about the Faeries and the different elements that they represent. Dragon took her learning seriously and soon became as knowledgeable as the Faeries themselves about Neopia. A few years passed in the town she learned to be known as Terra and she looked to be about 15. Feliea told her that it was soon time to train in the arts of the Faeries that only few humans could learn and in the skills of sword fighting. Soon that day came and that was the day Dragon truly felt at home in the new lifestyle she was forced into from the event three years ago.

"Dragon! Dragon! Where are you, you silly girl?" called a young Fire Faerie standing in one of the many flower fields around the town. "Today is the day that your training begins!"

The so called silly girl was sleeping in a flowerbed of pink roses and slowly opens her eyes as she heard her name being called. Then it hit her as would a kick to the head. Today she was to begin training with the Fire Faerie Sashunn. She remembered how Feliea said she was to train with a different faerie everyday as to learn all the elements.

Dragon lifted her hand over a silver necklace around her next and held the charm in her hand. It was a silver dragon wing wrapped around a black stone. "Never take it off," the Water Faerie had warned her, "or our Magics that you learn will be lost."

Dragon got up off the ground as Sashunn came up and gave her an angry glare. Dragon just smiled and gave a bow at the angry Fire Faerie. "Ello Sashunn! Ready for training now?"

"I should be asking you the same question Dragon. Sleeping in the fields on your first day… Why when I was just an apprentice…"

"You were just as stubborn to play out in the fields all day dear Sashunn," a voice said coming out behind them. They both turned around to see a Dark Faerie giggling at Sashunn.

"Never in my apprenticeship had I done that Vux!" Sashunn growled. "Fine if you want to act that way Vux can train you for the day. I'm gone!" Sashunn flew up into the air and disappeared in a burst of flames. Vux rolled her eyes at the flames fading away and gave a little smile.

"I love when she gets hot headed," Vux giggled. "It's always funny to see her storm off like that."

"Feliea is going to make you pay for that," Dragon said with a glint in her eyes.

"And Lutari will fly," Vux retorted.

Dragon grinned at the playful Dark Faerie and gave her a serious look. "So what do I learn first?" Dragon asked.

"We will start with how to make orbs of darkness to blind your attackers," Vux said with another grin and chanted the spell.

More time went by as Dragon learning the Magics of the Faeries and sword fighting. She knew from the healing spells of the Earth Faeries to the bewitchments of the Dark Faeries. Sashunn finally came around from being mad at Dragon and Vux, who became the best of friends. Unlike other Dark Faeries, Vux was the caring type and didn't really act like her siblings. She acted more like a Water Faerie than a Dark Faerie the way she fights with Sashunn all the time and she is an expert when talking about the ocean near the town. Dragon still looked 15 years old, and some speculate that it's from using the Faerie Magics. She was loved by all of the townsfolk and can be seen running around the fields with the children, teaching them all the fun games from her old world.

Then soon afterwards Dragon forgot her past. She forgot her grandmother, her grandfather, the house she lived in, and even how she came to be in Neopia. She forgot going back to the human world and even who she was back then. Here she was Dragon Dragonwolf, Human Faerie Apprentice to Feliea herself who ruled this small town and the land around it. She didn't need another home; she was home here in the Faerie House.

Dragon remembered the first time she saw the house; it was covered in blue roses which were tended by the Faeries. The petals of the roses are used in potions and are said to be a cure for some of the most deadly diseases around these parts. Inside was even more beautiful. The rivers that ran though the town made there ways across the floors towards the center of the house where the fountain was. Feliea told her the fountain was protecting a powerful artifact, but she refused to tell Dragon what it was. Dragon always tried to sneak a glace when Feliea was resting in her chambers, but she was always caught.

Now it was almost time for her ceremony to become a full Faerie Magic User, the first human to be able to do so in over 200 years. The ceremony in which she would become the heir to keeping that which is hidden away from the sight of all. The artifact she had tried to sneak a peak at so many years ago. The next step in her life was just beginning, but also near its end.

Dragon looked at herself in the mirror to see the black dress with silver flames she was wearing. Since she is more mastered in the arts of the Dark Magic she was to be known as a Demi-Dark Faerie. The silver flames represent her second highest skill in Fire Magic and also the becoming heir of the Sacred Artifact of the Water Faerie Fountain. Her black hair shone in the moonlight of the full moon making it tint to a silver sheen and her eyes glowed in the darkness.

She had always asked herself why the Faeries let her learn their arts and become the heir of something so sacred, but all Feliea said that it was meant to be. Dragon saw flashed of burred images in her mind as it tried to make her remember something but pushed it out of the way as she made the final adjustments to her dress and took a step out her bedroom door.

Vux stood outside with a huge grin as she grabbed Dragon by the shoulder and gave her a hug. "Oh my sweet little Dragon. Finally you have made us all proud of you," she said.

"Thanks Vux. Did you see Sashunn this morning when she heard the news?" Dragon asked as she ran her fingers though her hair.

"Yeah, I did indeed. It looked like she was in shock. She was expecting to get that position you know," Vux replied with a sly grin. "It was like she was ruler of the world or something."

Dragon nodded as they headed down the staircase to the dance that was being held in the ballroom, or as they like to call it the dancing gardens. It was a courtyard in the house that was filled with soft flowers and grass that the Faeries dance on in union for ceremonies or just to have a fun time. Tonight Feliea said they would meet special guest from faraway.

Dragon entered the room with Vux to see the Faeries standing around waiting for her to enter and she also noticed some men standing around the room as well. They looked like the Faeries, but they had angel-like wings instead of the Faerie wings.

One stood out to her as she walked down the stairs into the clapping garden filled with her family and guests. He was dressed in pure white with white wings and hair, but his eyes were of the deepest violet that she had ever seen. He glazed at her with a tender look that made her heart flutter and she was almost sure that she must have skipped a step. Feliea came up to her side and took her by the hand and Vux walked away from the two.

"Tonight we have three things to rejoice under this brilliant full moon! Our sister Dragon has finally completed training and is ready to become a Demi-Dark Faerie as well as take on the responsibilities of becoming the heir to The Sacred Orb of Akeru, and also we welcome our long lost brothers the Drakens of the Northern Wastes!" Feliea proclaimed in her speech voice, "We shall move on with the ceremony as planned for Dragon's Coming, but first let us welcome our guests of honor, Nero the Draken King and his Draken council!" The Faeries in the garden clapped joyously for their guests. Dragon remembered about Feliea talking about the Drakens who were banished to the Northern Wastes because of their King trying to kill the last Faerie Queen. Dragon guessed that Fyora must have lift the sentence placed upon them.

Feliea gave a signal to the crowd and the clapping and chatter stopped to leave only the nightlife to make the sounds in the bushes with the wind. Dragon felt all eyes on her and it made her nervous at first. The white Draken that was looking at her nodded and it gave Dragon a boost and she got ready for what was to come.

Once the secret ceremony was done the dancing started and Vux pulled her into one of the circles with their Draken guests for one of the more happy tunes. She jumped, skipped, and intertwine with the beats just as well as the other Faeries. She noticed the white Draken again and she felt his hand touch hers. It was like a spark in her system as she felt him tug her away from the dance and into a corner behind some rose bushes. His violet eyes looked deeply into hers.

"My, what a lovely night it is tonight dear Dragon," he said to me. "You are truly a gifted human to be a Demi-Dark Faerie and the heir to the Sacred Orb. Feliea must see something in you."

"Yes, why that is true you know all this about me, but what do I know about you sir?" Dragon said in a soft giggling tone.

"Nothing of course," he said. "But I can tell you if you wish pretty maiden of the silver flames." He moved closer to Dragon as if he was to seduce her, but he then backed away. "I am Nero, King of the Drakens as you have heard. I never really saw a pretty human like you before."

Dragon huffed at him and pushed him away from her and went out of the bushes. "If that is all I am, a pretty human, then I'll be on my way Nero Blackfayt," she said in a bitter tone.

"Ah… So you did know me," Nero said with pleasure.

"Only by books, but not by face," Dragon replied. "For a King you are sure flirtatious with us Faeries."

"Oh so you considered yourself a Faerie now, one without wings I must say dear Faerie," Nero said as he placed a hand on her arm to drag her back into the bushes.

Dragon felt enraged by his stunt and muttered a shield spell under her breath that locked Nero in a shield away from her. "Like to see you get out of that then, precious King," she laughed as she walked back into the dance circles. She found Vux and pulled her off to another corner and told her what happen.

"And then I trapped him in that shield spell you taught me and walked away," Dragon finished. "I wanted to grind the little Draken bones up." Vux gave a laugh and hugged Dragon close to her.

"Don't worry about him. He always does that when he is around a new pretty face. He tried it to at least most of us here," Vux said with her sly grin.

"All of us? But I thought he couldn't leave the Wastes!"

"He had permission from Fyora to collect healing herbs here once in awhile for the Drakens. We can't be as cold hearts as our Dark sisters now can we?" Vux said in a calm voice.

"He still made me mad," Dragon muttered.

"Well let's us find that out. I think you like him dear Dragon," Vux joked.

"I do not!" Dragon shouted.

"Too…"

"Not…"

"Too…"

Dragon gave a growl and made her way to chase Vux around the room that just flew out of her reach. Thanks to her Air Faerie mentor her caste a spell of flight and chased after her in the sky and laughing the whole time as the dances continued below them. The stars sparkled high up above the two at their game and made them glow in the dark, like two fireflies dancing their ritual; lighting up the dark star with the starlight on their backs.

Dragon woke up in the flower fields still in her black dress which was to be her daily wear from now on. She felt a pair of eyes on her and slowly lifted herself from the ground to see Nero staring at her in an odd way.

"You are annoying for a King," she muttered while shaking her sleep away from her body.

"And you are shining from your nightly dance in the skies young human," Nero said with a charming grin as he held his hand out to her.

Dragon felt stunned by his kindness after the way she left him left night and slowly put her hand into his. She felt another heat wave come over her as she heard her heart pounding in her ears. He helped her up off the ground and pulled her closer to him giving her a kiss on the forehead.

Dragon felt stunned and couldn't move as his arms went around her. She tried to find her voice to say she didn't want him near her, but she couldn't find it. Finally she asked, "Why? You've just meant me last night?"

"One does not need a reason to fall in love at first sight pretty flame. Just one glace at you made me wants to come closer and feel your body underneath that dress. Just to touch your skin and feel the wave hair in my grasp," Nero said with a smile.

"We shouldn't be doing this. I may be considered a Demi-Faerie, but I'm still human all the same. We are two different species all together. We can never be together," Dragon said sternly. She turned away from Nero and walked away from him. That would be the last time she would see him for the next five years.

Dragon spent her years watching over the flowers of the fields and learning more of the arts of the Magics from Feliea who shared to her the secrets of the treasure of Terra. Feliea had not told her all the secrets and soon Feliea felt that the time was coming when all of them must be revealed. She has taught her that the Elemental Orb of Akeru was a powerful object filled with light energy, but it could be used for darkness if the wrong hands fell upon it. Though secret arts Dragon learn that only Feliea and she could touch the Orb where it was held in place in its protecting of the Water Faerie Fountain deep in the water where few can go. It is the source of the fountain and without it the land would die and become a black land like the Haunted Woods, or so they say.

"Feliea, why do you hide all the secrets from me about the Orb? Have I proven worthy enough to bear these secrets?" Dragon asked one day during the summer months.

Feliea gave her a long look a sighed. "I guess it is time for you to know everything, but do not tell another soul except your heir these secrets that I'm about to tell you. It is the truth about our Sacred Orb that we have long guarded in this town," Feliea said.

"I promise with all my Magics," Dragon replied settling herself next to the fountain where her mentor floated in the water.

"The Elemental Orb of Akeru as I said before is filled with light, but there is another energy that is filled in it as well. Chaos is the real power of the Orb. Without it the Orb would not be here. Only few know of this chaotic power and even fewer know how to bring that power to its full potential. If one with evil intentions lay his hands upon the Orb he would feel the chaos surrounding it and try to use that power which will set the world off balance and it will be a time of darkness, but if one with a pure heart who can touch it without turning evil that is not the guardians then the world will be at peace for many years. Or so they say.

"Only we can touch it since we have bonded ourselves to the Orb in order to keep it safe from all who seek it. Once someone else took it our lives would be in jeopardy as well.

"They would be able to control us against our will if they could figure it out, but that is most unlikely since only the strong willed is chosen as a guardian to prevent this. We gain insight on the whereabouts of the Orb if it is indeed stolen from us, and we can sometimes borrow its power, though it might be dangerous to do so," Feliea explained.

"Why would we need to borrow its power in the first place if it is dangerous?" Dragon asked trying to take in all the information.

"You would know when the time comes young one, but for now let us leave it at that. I hope you never have to borrow its powers young one," Feliea said. "Now go off and take care of the children."

Dragon got up and made a small bow before she ran out the door taking in all she heard. It was confusing at first, but it slowly it made sense. To use the power of the orb might bring down the destruction of her very well being. Shaking away the cold she felt she ran into the sunshine and the fields towards the young Neopets in play.

Everything was hot to her. She was deep under the covers and she didn't know where she was. She couldn't even move her body. Dragon didn't know what to do. The other Water Faeries couldn't place the sickness that fell upon her only three days ago and already it has rapidly spread in her body. Nothing they tried worked so Feliea decided to send her off to Faerieland to see if the Faerie Queen would help. Vux and Sashunn went with her to help her towards the palace in order to see Fyora herself.

"I have never seen a sickness as such before," Fyora mused. "Do you think it only affects the Demi-Faeries, or even just humans themselves?"

"Some of our townsfolk have the same symptoms as Dragon, but she is the worse case. We are afraid for her Queen Fyora. She means so much to us and she is the heir to guarding the Sacred Orb," Vux said bowing to the Queen.

"Yes, she always was a carefree student, but she doesn't deserve this kind of suffering," Sashunn added.

Dragon could feel herself being lifted in the air to be taken to another room. She couldn't remember who the purple faerie was, but somehow she thought she knew her. Her mind scream out the pain only she could hear and it blinded her.

Days went by with Dragon getting worse and Fyora did all she could do. The Magics were not working and even the few herbal remedies do not seem to affect the illness. Dragon could not even open her eyes and only listened to those around her trying to care for her in this time of pain. All she thought about was the pain now.

Something touches her head and she felt something go into her mouth and down her throat. It was sweet and smelled of a lost forgotten scent. Weariness came over her and the pain stopped in her head and she fell into the darkness of slumber.

There she was surrounded by a blue light as she started to remember who she was and her memories. The light got brighter as she came to herself and moved around in the emptiness of the area around her. There she felt the chaotic energies and shielded herself as they came around her, but the magic was weak and it broke though and slowly consume her body. She knew this power… It was the same power she felt during the bonding ceremony. Somehow she was inside the Orb itself.

Dragon let the chaos overcome her, but it did not drive her insane. It slowly made her stronger and she felt thoughts in her head. _You are me and I am you. We are truly one at last Demi-Dark Faerie. You were sick with a non-curing illness, but I decided I wanted to save you, which is rare of me. Feliea does not even know all of my power. Beware the one you care about the most, for they will turn on you in the end. I can feel the chaos, though you cannot yet. You still have much to learn from me that Feliea could never teach you. Listen to the words of Akeru… Listen to the teachings. We cannot be separated now that the true bonding is complete. My thoughts will always be your thoughts; your thoughts will be my thoughts. Remember that young one… Remember…_

Dragon was scared at first that the Orb she had been guarding could speak, but then it made sense. Chaos is thought itself in some ways and chaos is in all who can think. Dragon felt the last of the sickness go away and she fell back into the darkness and open her eyes to the light on the window outside.

"Dragon you are awake at last!" Vux exclaimed as she rushed over to the bedside. "We hoped he wasn't too late with the cure. It is truly a miracle!"

"Vux… I… Where am I?" Dragon said confusingly as she noticed the highly furnished room she was in.

"In my palace of course. It is nice to meet the heir of Sacred Orb at last, said a voice from the door. Dragon moved her head towards the voice to see Fyora herself standing there in all her regal glory.

"My Queen. I never expected to meet you under these circumstances," Dragon said as she tried to get up off the bed to give Fyora a bow. Vux held her down.

"Don't you even think about it sister. You are staying in bed!" Vux said sternly.

"I'm afraid I have to agree with Vux. You must rest. It has been three years since the sickness overcame you," Fyora explained.

"Three years? How could I survive so long?" Dragon asked, but somehow she knew the answer to her question and she felt words appear in her head. _Yes, it has been that long since I have been keeping you alive. You wouldn't have survived otherwise for that long…_

"You should thank your savior for that and your strong will," Fyora said. "Vux come with me so we may discuss about the arrangements for her stay till she gets well." Vux nodded and followed the Queen out the door and left it open. A few minutes later a familiar while robed figure appeared in the doorway.

"Nero…" Dragon said.

"It is good to see you again my little flame. I was lucky to have found the cure in time to save you," he said.

"You saved me?" Dragon slowly sat herself upright on the bed so she could see him better. She felt weak from moving, but that was to be expected.

"I came here to see Queen Fyora the day they brought you in. I swore to find the cure to save you and have spent my time traveling around Neopia looking for it. Figures I would end up in Terra to find it since the place was unlike any other. The blue roses are what cured you of the illness," Nero said as he placed his hand on hers.

"Nero… How can I thank you?" Dragon said.

"Give me the kiss that was meant to be," Nero said as he drew closer to her. He placed himself around her on the bed and slowly their lips touched. Dragon felt hot with the pleasure and let his tongue slip into her mouth and move around. It was like ecstasy that entered her mouth and not just his tongue. This forbidden love they felt for one another was pure pleasure.

Nero removed his tongue and slowly moved away from her. He gave her that look that she first saw the day of her ceremony and she knew that she loved him. "Are you going to hit me now?" he joked.

"Why don't we do a repeat? I don't think I've paid you fully enough," Dragon said as they embraced again.

Three months pass in the palace and Nero and Dragon meant in secret when there duties weren't interfering with one another. Fyora had decided to let Dragon in the Uber Faerie meetings in Feliea place while she was here since as the heir she would have to attend these meetings as well.

Most talk was about the troubles of the almost forgotten Faerie Wars which left an impact upon Neopia that would last for years to come. Other talk was about sightings on the Drakens slowly joining the world again since Fyora had recently lifted the exile on all of them, but the Uber Faeries still have distrust to them.

Dragon sat in the meetings and only gave her opinion when asked since she wasn't a true member of the council itself. The other Uber Faeries were amazed about her opinions on handling the Draken unrest with such ease.

"I can understand how we Faeries can feel about the Drakens entering the world again without restrictions, but think of it as this; some of us would say that we distrust Dark Faeries only because of our history. That because we control the Dark Element of the Magics that we are evil. Now I know all of us here know that to be untrue, but the other Faeries will still think that way because of the history.

"It is the same with Drakens. We are judging them for their history. I say let us give them a chance to prove that they are not evil for their past mistakes. We are in a whole different generation since the Draken Uprising. Let us give them some room to prove themselves to be worthy of this gift that our Queen gave to them," Dragon debated.

"I agree with Dragon fully. Most Faeries do distrust our Dark Sisters because of the past like with the Darkest Faerie and the past Faerie Wars. I mean look here, we have our Demi-Dark Sister and I know our Uber Dark Sister here is worthy of being mention of being kind to others despite their dark past with the Dark Magics being their main element," said Cecilia the current Uber Light Faerie.

"There is nothing the same between the Drakens and the Dark Faeries!" Zushunn the Uber Fire Faerie shouted. "The Drakens will cause trouble again just like before. That perverted King of theirs is going to be the downfall of them even if they did learn their lesson!"

"Nero is a good Draken and is honorable despite his attitude towards the Faeries! Why judge him for what his Grandfather did?" Dragon asked.

"There is no honor in a Jubjub-brained fool like him," Tasha the Uber Earth Faerie stated.

"But he does deserve a chance to prove his leadership," Qera the Uber Water Faerie said calmly.

"I agree with Qera for once. Let him prove himself before we caste of judgment," Netsume the Uber Dark Faerie replied. "Let all the Drakens prove themselves to be granted this freedom we held back from them for so long."

"Then it is decided. We will keep a close watch on the Drakens to watch for their acts of kindness or of malice. Until then let it be known that no Faerie will do anything to start another uprising. My mother died for that war and I do not want to see her life waste in vain for what she has taught us all," Fyora said in a final tone.

The Ubers nodded their heads and left the council chamber to talk to their own kind. Fyora walked up to Dragon and put her hand gently on her shoulder. "You did well today Dragon. I can see Feliea made the right decision is choosing you as her successor," Fyora said. "Come, I have a present for you before you return to your home in Terra."

Dragon rose from her chair and followed Fyora from the chamber towards the private apartments of Fyora herself. There Fyora led her to a small room that held a Fire and Ice Blade sitting on a table.

"This blade is no normal blade as it appears to be. This is Dragonfang; it was made from one of the oldest dragons known in Neopia. I feel that this blade belongs to you," Fyora said.

Dragon felt a power from the blade and felt words appear in her mind like it did the day she came to. _The sword… I remember it. It was wielded by one of the guardians that protected me during the Draken Uprising. Take it and wield it well for both of us…_

Dragon placed her hand around the handle and felt it familiar. Like she had wielded this blade long ago, but had forgotten it. She felt the blade call out to her as she removed it from its sheath. The blade roared with its flames and sparkled with the ice. It was different from the normal Fire and Ice Blades for there was an engraving of a dragon wrapping around a fang on the handle.

"It is perfect Fyora. I feel like it is a part of me that was lost long ago and was just found again," Dragon said replacing the blade back in the sheath.

"Good. Then it is almost time for you to return home. Nero will be accompanying you on your journey home," Fyora said.

The journey home was filled with pleasure just as they reached the Shenkuu outpost before they reached Terra. Dragon lost track of the time they spent together and she was truly in love with Nero. They parted ways since Nero had some business in a Kingdom close by in the mountains and Dragon made her way home towards the ocean and saw her first glance of the flower fields. As she walked upon her home a song came up in her mind and she felt the need to let it out.

All along the high roads,

Heading towards the sea,

There I'll be waiting,

In the town of Terra.

Look this way and that way,

Listen to the music,

There I'll be waiting,

In the town of Terra.

The King will bow to me,

His white wings shimmering,

There I'll be waiting,

In the town of Terra.

I'm his bride to be,

Though I'm far away,

There I'll be waiting,

In the town of Terra.

There I'll be waiting,

In the town of Terra.

The children heard the song and came running to Dragon to greet her return. They dance and sang around her as they made their way towards the center of town following the streams that came from her home. The familiar blue rose covered house came into view and there Feliea was waiting for her return. She was truly home again after so long.

For all of you who have read Lythenn's story know the events that came to pass. Nero went to Cizar to trick Price Lythenn in coming with him to Terra so he could take over Terra and Cizar in one attack. Lythenn and Esa spent the day with Dragon in the fields while Nero planned the attack with his troops were getting ready to steal the Sacred Orb. So now I will start from that night where Dragon woke up.

_Wake up young Dragon! Wake up! Feliea is in danger!_ The Orb shouted in her mind snapping Dragon awake.

"Feliea in danger?" she asked. She grabbed the Dragonfang by her bedside and silently walked down the stairs and towards the fountain room. There she heard the voices of Nero and Feliea.

"You will not get what you came for," Feliea said in a calm tone.

"Feliea I have my army surrounding this town! All your people will be slain if you don't give me the Elemental Orb of Akeru!" Nero shouted.

Dragon gasped at what she heard. Nero was the traitor? She loved him, yet he would do this? Tears fell from her eyes as she drew the blade out and held it up towards Nero.

"You dare threaten the place I called home since I came to this world! Nero how could you? You don't understand about that Orb! I can never let you have it! I thought you came to try and take me away again, but now I see the truth. I hate you..." Dragon said as she held her sword up.

Nero glared at Dragon and laughed at her. His eyes were cold as he lazed into hers. "If that is the way you want it little Dragon then I will attack now. Cizar will still be attacked at dusk tomorrow anyway. I'll let Blake deal with you in person," Nero said and he flew up into the air. He summoned a dark energy ball in his hand and blew a hole in the roof. He made his call to the other Drakens to attack. A flash of dark light entered the room and Feliea gave Dragon a look of horror as she was struck in the heart.

"You know what to do Dragon... Save the Orb and go save the two others from Cizar. Hurry..." Feliea cried out as she fell in the water. Her blood dyed the water red and it ran though rivers towards the flower fields. Tears fell out of her eyes as she gave her last breath. Dragon nodded and rushed off to wake Lythenn and Esa from their slumber.

"We must leave now. Nero is attacking the town and tomorrow he will attack Cizar to take it as his own kingdom. Don't speak yet. Wait until we are away from here," Dragon said softly as she woke Lythenn from his sleep. Esa was already behind her with Ryu the Ukali on her head and sword out. Lythenn took Oniyuri the Biyako and reluctantly placed her on his head still sleeping and drew his sword out. They followed Dragon though the house to the outside.

Outside in the fields Dragon wanted to get the two to safely before anything else occurred. She saw the town being ruined from their spot on the cliff. The houses were burning with golden flames, gusts of winds tearing down the flower fields surrounding the city, waves of water were crashing into the cliffs making the ground soften so that parts of the land fell into the sea below.

Dragon turned and looks at them slowly casting her glaze on the ground. "I'm sorry that this had to happen. Nero is blinded by power. If we meet again I will explain the reasons, though we never will I think," Dragon said, "But if we do, my name will be Michiru. I will return to my birth name to fight the Drakens till my last breath. Now I must send you home before Nero destroys it. Good thing I was taught some magic from my Faerie family."

Dragon held up her hands and started chanting a spell that made a light surround Esa and Lythenn. She didn't see the Dark Draken behind her readying his attack. The Ukali that was on top of Esa's head chirped loudly and jumped off of Esa's head at the Draken as the spell was completed a bright light took the rest of them away.

Dragon took out Dragonfang and blocked another attack from the Dark Draken and she saw the Leader of the Draken Army, Blake before her. He slashed down his sword from the side and she blocked the attack with ease.

"So the little human can fight. How I always hated you for messing with our King's mind Dragon," Blake said. He thrust the sword forwarded at her to try and catch her off-guard.

Dragon was ready for the attack and let her sword drop down to block the attack. The sword made it though her defense and it tore though her dress leaving small bits on the ground. She jumped back and readied a spell that set up a silver shield around her.

"Then you must be happy that I love him no longer Blake. I will kill Nero for the destruction that he and the rest of the Drakens done here. And I gave you a chance to repent. I defended you to let the Faeries stop watching your every move!" Dragon shouted.

"Well at least one of you saw some sense, but you are still just a weak human. Without that pretty charm on your neck you wouldn't even be able to use the Magics,' Blake retorted.

Another clang of the blades came together again and separated when Blake set up his own shield. Now it would become a battle of Magics. Blake readied his spell when Dragon tore off the necklace around her neck and caste it to the ground.

"I don't need the charm to use the Magics any longer Blake. I promise you this. The Sacred Orb will never belong to any Draken!" Dragon replied casting purple energy balls that shot at Blake.

Blake blocked them with a hand shield and flew up into the air and sent a group of energy balls raining down upon Dragon. Knowing she would never beat him on the ground she ran at his form in the air and caste a spell that made the transparent wings appear on her back and she flew up into the air. Blake drew out his sword again and their blades clanged in the air as they flew at each other.

Dragon knew that removing the charm was risky, but she trusted that being bonded to the Elemental Orb would hold the connection between the Magics and herself. She felt herself in two places at once as she was batting in the air and soon they both ended over the gapping hole in the ceiling of the fountain room.

Blake got the better of Dragon and broke her block and the sword went into her side. She gasped as the wings disappeared from her back from the shock and she slammed into the water of the fountain and sank into its depths.

Blake grinned as he thought he finished off the human at last and flew away to report what happen to Nero. Soon the Orb will be theirs and the plan to rule Neopia will become reality.

Dragon couldn't move as she sunk deeper into the fountain to where the Orb lay. She fell the power grow stronger in her body as she reached the bottom and landed next to the Orb who she finally saw as the object was for the first time.

_Do not worry… The wound isn't fatal and will heal with time young one. Rest for now and wait until the fires die down. _The Orb said in her mind.

"I can't… The townsfolk… They need help… And my sisters need the help as well…" Dragon sputtered as she quickly caste an underwater breathing spell before her air ran out.

_Wait until the wound heals then. Use my power to help you. Just let my power flow with yours. _The Orb glowed with a bluish light in the water as Dragon chanted the spell that made the wound close at a greater speed than it normally would. After she did that she placed her hands on the Orb and brought it close to her.

"I need to find another place to take you, but how would I be able to hide you…" Dragon wondered as she floated there thinking.

_Take me into yourself. We are bonded so it can be done. I wouldn't be able to say within forever and it would be dangerous to do so. Temporary can work since it won't affect you until a certain amount of time. _

Dragon nodded her head and placed the Orb closer to her body and forced it in inside herself. Pain shot though her body as the Orb became a part of her body and she heard many voices in her head going at once. It was all in a dialect she never heard before and blocked them from her mind. Now she knew what the Orb meant by it would be dangerous to keep it inside of her. She would go insane from the voices. She kicked her feet and made her way back up to the surface of the fountain. She felt the breathing spell wear off as she hits fresh air and climbed out of the pool.

Silence filled her ears and it made the land seem dead. She took off what was left of her dress and made her way up the stairs naked as the moon itself until she reached her room. She looked into her dresser and found the outfit she was looking for. It was a tight black shirt and black leather pants. She put them on and rinsed the water out of her hair onto the hard wooden floor. She reached back far into the dresser and found something that Vux gave her long ago. It was a pair of black metal-tipped boots that she never wore. She placed them on her feet and looked around the room. She would never she this room again.

A scream came from outside her window and she looked out to see a small Royal Boy Draik running from one of the Fire Drakens that followed behind him. She jumped out the window and landed on the ground a caste a fireball spell and hit the Draken on the back. The Draken turned on Dragon and drew his sword and changed after her. She drew back out her own sword and the blade went right though the Drakens chest, letting him fall to the ground. The Draik looked at her with a grateful look and ran off into the flower fields. It was here Dragon cast away her name she had known for so long and became the name she was given at birth. Her name was Michiru again.

To Be Continued…


	2. The Orb of Light

"_So what happen next? I mean… What did you do after than day in Terra? What got you to where you are today?" you ask Michiru._

_Michiru shifted in her chair and looked at you with the same sad eyes that you saw in the picture still. She was lost in thought and shook her head._

"_I can tell you I guess. Fyora decided that no one that wasn't involved in the Wars was to be told, but that was 18 years ago as I said. But do not repeat this to anyone. Promise me at least that," she said._

"_I promise…" you replied._

"_Well… It was about two months after Terra's downfall…" she started._

The newly name Michiru walked past the gardens to the Hidden Tower where she knew Fyora was at the time. New to her responsibilities as part of the High Council, she still needed some guidance here and there. Of course no one knew of her involvement with the council since no one was supposed to know about Terra. Michiru remembered the night two days after she left Terra and found Esa the red Kacheek on the roadside. They agreed to go to Faerieland together to help with the preparations of the newly made war against the Drakens. Fyora proclaimed it would be the Secret Faerie Wars so when they talk about the war it would be thought as part of the original Faerie Wars that happen only a few hundred years before.

Michiru placed her hand on the charm around her neck that she recovered from the flower fields before leaving Terra and remembered her mentors. She found Vux's body near Sashunn's body; both were defeated by Blake himself by the marks she saw upon them. He was the type to leave his mark among the dead.

She opened the door to the tower after finally finding the door and climbed the staircase to the store that so few Neopians could afford from. She passed by one of the many Sword of the Air Faeries and saw Fyora setting a new item on a self.

"Just got it in this morning," Fyora said as she noticed Michiru. "Werelupe's Claw should get some rich Neopians in here."

"That's good. We need the Neopoints more than ever now that we are trying the hide the fact we are at war with the Drakens," Michiru replied.

"Yes… And about that, Ayra is already busy training our Faerie troops and we have no one to lead the Neopians. I want you to take that position Michiru," Fyora said.

"Become a general? But I haven't served in the Faerie Army at all to just be put to that rank!" Michiru exclaimed.

"I know, but Ayra agrees with me. You were well trained by the Faeries of Terra and you gave a good fight to Blake. You are the only survivor of his sword from that night other than the Draik you saved. This is an order from your Queen, Demi-Dark Faerie Michiru," Fyora said.

"Yes milady, I will do as you have ordered. Now I need some advice about something. It is said that refugees from occupied Cizar want entrance to Faerieland, but there is just not enough room to keep them here. What should I do?" Michiru asked.

Fyora thought for a moment and gave a hard stare at Michiru tenderly. "Is there any place for them to go close by? I'm sure there is some place in the mountains around them," Fyora said.

"There is Shenkuu close by. I haven't thought about that. I will send an Air Faerie to talk to their leader there about arrangements then," Michiru said before she turned to walk away.

"Oh and Michiru, please tell Esa she is to be your Second-in-Command. We can use her skills as well since she was head of the Royal Guard in Cizar," Fyora said.

"Of course milady," Michiru replied to her Queen as she climbed back down the stairs and walked towards the training grounds.

Ayra was the current Battle Faerie and served in the Faerie Army during the Faerie Wars. She was currently discussing tactics with Esa as Michiru strolled up to them.

"Ahh Michiru, I have heard so much about the famous care keeper to the Elemental Orb that survived Blake's blade," Ayra greeted.

"I just barely survived, but that isn't the point. I wouldn't think you would want anyone helping you lead the troops and even a Demi-Faerie at that Ayra," Michiru accused.

Ayra nodded slowly, but gave Michiru a hard stare. "I can say that I do prefer leading alone, but there are just too many troops to train together since Faeries and Neopians need different tactics to learn in order to survive. And plus, the only other Faerie who could help lead is Lieutenant Arie my daughter, but she thinks aggressive battle is the only way to win. She is a good soldier, but she has no honor yet," Ayra said.

"How are we getting recruits? Fyora said this war was to be kept a secret," Esa asked with her bright blue eyes staring at the general.

"I bet we are only telling them of the war after they past the trails to become part of the Faerie Army I'm thinking," Michiru said.

"You always were the thinker weren't you," Ayra said with a smile. She turned around and aimed her head towards Michiru and Esa once more. "I will be glad to see if you two can keep up with me."

Five months pass by and the Drakens have taken over half of the lands around Terra and Cizar. Chaos brewed within the hearts of the Neopians that lived upon the lands and they were submitted to the Draken's rule. The time has almost come for the first real battle between the Drakens and the Faeries, but still the troops were not finished the training they needed. Spies have informed Fyora that Neo is busy looking for the Elemental Orb and he knows that it is somewhere in Meridell for he has been informed of this information from a spy within Fyora's group, but they do not know whom.

Fyora called a council and asked that both of the Generals showed up for the meeting though they were busy preparing for the battle to come. The whole group of Faeries expresses their views on them.

Zushunn flared when Michiru came into the room with a fiery might. "She shouldn't be here! It was her fault that this happen in the first place!" she spat.

"Zushunn shush down," Cecilia said calmly. "She is one of the Generals and the Guardian of the Element Orb. She has her own right to be here."

"Terra was destroyed; she has no right over the Orb anymore. A new Guardian in a new city must have it," Tasha said.

"She has the right as she was chosen as the heir and had already taken the Sacred Rites to become the Guardian Tasha!" Qera shouted at the Earth Faerie.

"Enough all of you!" Fyora demanded with a dangerous glare. "Michiru is here on my orders with Ayra here and she has more than enough proven she should be the current Orb's Guardian. Now may we get on to the important business of this meeting?"

Zushunn kept her glaze on Michiru as she sat down next to Ayra at the table as the meeting started. Fyora explained the situation about what the spies have informed her.

"Also we have an edge with Michiru here. Nero believes her to be dead and won't be expecting to see her in the battle. We all knew of the relationship they held in the past, before the events that followed Terra's destruction," Netsume said.

"Then that should be a great advantage to us. Send Michiru here at the head of the battlefront to face Nero and surprise him and gain an edge over his army," Ayra said.

"No… Don't send me out there just yet. It is too early. Let Esa lead the troops with Ayra and let me go to Cizar now named Terra to face Nero face to face when the time is right to take the battlefield there," Michiru suggested.

"You're right. Nero would not show his face for the first battle since he is vain and does not wish to take the risk of hurting himself. Blake would be likely to leading that army," Tasha pointed out.

"Then how should we use this weapon? He will find out she still lives once she goes out on the battlefield anyway," Zushunn said.

"By going back where it first started. By returning to Terra and facing him there, but first I would need to gather more leaders for the army. We must publicize the war between the Drakens!" Michiru said.

"If we do that, then all of Neopia would go into a panic!" Netsume snapped.

"But she does have a point. Meridell doesn't know that they are being attack. Going public might be the best way and we could rally troops to our needs," Ayra said.

"What we need is a weapon to use against them that they don't know about," Fyora said.

_The sword of Akeru… A weapon made by me long ago. That could help us, but it can only be wielded by a Neopet…_ the Orb said.

"The sword of Akeru?" Michiru wondered out loud. The whole council turned to look at Michiru at what she said. Fyora gave a grin on her face.

"The sword of Akeru isn't known by many, but that is indeed the weapon we may need," Fyora said. "But it was sadly destroyed many years ago from the Draken Uprising."

"Then maybe we can make a new one. Wasn't it made by the Elemental Orb of Akeru back then?" Cecilia asked.

_In order to make a new sword we would need the three orbs. One of Darkness, one of Light, and one of Pure… Only then can I make the sword needed for the chosen Neopet. _The Orb said in Michiru's head again.

"We need the three orbs to make the sword! The Dark Orb, the Light Orb, and the Pure Orb are what we need," Michiru said.

"And how do you know this Michiru?" Zushunn asked. "Does the Orb of Akeru speak to you now?"

Michiru looked at Zushunn and drew a deep breath. "Actually, the Orb does talk to me. It has been since Terra had been destroyed."

Fyora widen her eyes at the news a bit and then nodded slowly. It was like she was confirming something she already knew.

"That is impossible! One would have to be totally joined with the Orb in order to hear its words!" Qera said. "The ritual is to help block that kind of bondage to the Orb and the Guardian."

"But it has happen before," Netsume said. "Didn't Feliea totally join with the Orb when she saved us all those years ago?"

"That is true," Qera admitted. "It was one of the rare cases, but for two right after another is impossible!"

Michiru looked in surprise at Qera. Feliea was fully bonded with the Orb as well. Is that why she was so wise to her? Maybe the Orb told Feliea that Michiru should be the heiress as well. She felt confused, but she did her best to hide it.

Ayra had enough of the chatter and decided to end it with her statement. "Then Michiru will go get the Orbs and go where the Elemental Orb is kept and make the blade herself for the Neopet that is to wield it then."

"Then is the council is agreed?" Fyora asked.

"Agreed," the council replied in union. Michiru only sensed that she was getting into more trouble then she asked for.

Michiru was getting ready to leave Faerieland in her new outfit. She was now wearing a light black leather armor shirt with black leather pants with her steel-tipped boots. She had her hair back in a ponytail that was held up by a silver string. Her face was dark on the upcoming trip, but the council has made its choice and she must abide by it.

There was a knock at the door when Michiru was belting Dragonfang's sheath to her waist and made for the door. From the other side a silver Eyrie came into the door.

"Michiru! It's me Esa! I just bought this potion with my savings so I could travel with you!" Esa said in excitement.

"Esa? You didn't have to use your money to change yourself. I liked you the way you are," Michiru said as she placed her hand on Esa's new beak.

"I'm not letting you go alone. I wouldn't let Lythenn go alone and now I refuse to let you go alone. Ayra can handle the troops I'm sure of it," Esa said with that sparkle in her eyes.

Michiru laughed as the tears of joy came washing down her face and she hugged Esa. Michiru held her there for a long time before she let go. "I'm glad to have you along. Esa. I was scared of going off by myself, but I'm not scared no longer. I feel so weak these days since Feliea died."

Esa placed a paw around Michiru and returned the embrace. "You are a good friend to me though these times of trouble. I miss Lythenn and once we took our separate ways I was scared since I had no one to protect anymore. I lost myself to my memories and then you found me. You help me find the way back to the light. I'll be by your side forever," Esa said.

Michiru laughed as the two walked out of Michiru's room and headed towards the main chamber where the doors to the palace laid. The whole Council and the important soldiers from the army were there to see her depart. Fyora herself gave Michiru a tight hug like a mother saying goodbye to her first-born child who was going out into the world for the first time.

"It is hard to see you leave on this quest, but it must be done. Beware of the other humans and Neopians since they mostly will not like Dark Faeries or even any kind of Demi-Faerie for that matter," Fyora said.

"Take care Michiru," Netsume said as she placed her hand on my shoulder. "Be careful. You are strong at heart and even wiser than some of us here. Maybe someday we could even accept you as head of the Dark Faeries."

Michiru made her farewells with Esa and they both headed out the door. When they got to the cloud's edge, Michiru summoned her magic wings and both Esa and her dropped off the cloud and fell straight down towards the lands on Neopia.

The wind slapped at Michiru on the face as they descended faster towards the lands on Neopia and soon caught sight of the land below as the exited though the last of the cloud covering. Both of them let there wings soar out and caught themselves on the current to make a steady stop in the sky.

"I wish we could do that again," Esa said with joy.

"I wonder if they don't make a sport of this. Let's see who gets the closes to the ocean before pulling up," Michiru joked.

The friends flew over the blue ocean below them and looked at the lands around them. Not far off they saw a pirate ship sailing away from them and headed off where the breeze would take them. Esa noticed some other flying pets traveling in the air as they got closer to Neopian Central where they agreed to start their investigation for the Orbs.

Soon the small town came into view and they landed near the money tree. Michiru glanced at the commotion the tree was causing as the humans and pets rushed around under the tree to scoop up the rare items those others leave beneath its roots. She watched as a small girl dropped a bag of Neopoints at its base and some Chia knocked her to the ground grabbing the bag off her.

Michiru gasped in surprise and rushed over and held out a hand to the small human girl and helped her up. "Are you okay?" she asked.

"Yes I am," the girl said as she looked at Michiru. She took notice of the necklace and gaped. "You're a Demi-Faerie! I heard about your kind before!"

"Yes I am, but your knee is bleeding," Michiru said as she placed her hand over the girl's wound and chanted a small healing spell. The wound closed up and the bleeding stopped. The girl looked up at her with joy in her eyes.

"I never meet anyone as nice as you are since I came to Neopia. Are you a Demi-Water Faerie?" the girl asked.

Michiru felt hesitant for a moment knowing that Dark Faeries are not liked, but she decided not to hide what she was. "I'm a Demi-Dark Faerie," she said.

The girl flashed a look of fear for a moment and then shook her head. "You're too nice to be a Dark Faerie. I think you're a Light Faerie with your kindness. Dash! Dash comes here!"

A huge Christmas Lupe came up behind the group and gave the girl a lick on the check. "What is it Melina?" he asked.

"Tell Vash and Rash to hurry home. I'm having guests tonight!" Melina said.

"Really we don't ne…" Esa started.

"But I insist on it!" Melina replied with a joyous shine in her eyes. "Come have dinner with us in our Neohome!"

Michiru sighed, but decided a free meal was better than staying outside on the empty street. They followed Melina towards her house.

The table was set and seated around it was Michiru and Esa with Dash, Vash, a pink Lupe, and Rash, a Shadow Zafara. Melina bought out the dishes filled with omelets and faerie muffins with slushies to drink. They sat in a cardboard house that only had one floor and three rooms.

"I admire you Melina. Here you are living in a simple house yet you still give your NPs away to those greedy people at the tree," Esa said.

"I try to do what I canto help others. We don't mind at all. We have each other so we are happy," Melina replied.

"It's good to have family like that," Michiru said. "My family died."

"Even back in the human world?" Melina asked.

At the mention of the place she hadn't thought about in so long came back to her mind. The memories of her grandmother, the smile of her mother before she walked out the door to leave her behind for the last time, her father that once helped her out of a deep hole when she fell down in it, and even her grandfather with the time they were playing chess. She wondered what happen to them, but she doesn't even know how long it has been.

"I don't know. I haven't been back there in many years," Michiru said.

"You mean you never found the rings like everyone else?" Melina asked.

"The rings?" Michiru asked in surprise.

"Yes, one day I found this ring here," she started as she revealed a silver ring on her right ring finger, "on my bed and placed it out. I ended up here and this was where I first meet Dash as a small red pup."

"I never found a ring. When I came to Neopia there was no way for me to get home," Michiru explained.

"Then you must go see Sajona the Mystic who lives just on the edge of town. That's where all the older humans go that came here before us," Melina said.

"Sajona? I never heard of her…" Michiru said.

"Sajona is a he silly. He'll help you out I'm sure of it!" Dash piped up.

"We need to leave now if we are going to make it to him before it gets dark. Let's go," Melina said.

Soon the small group was outside a small one room house on a huge plot filled with gardens. The evenly cut hedges circled the small hut and inside the hedges was fountains and flowers all around. Small Beekadoodles flew around having their fill of the flowers and petpetpets that hid in the undergrowth that was on each side to the walkway that led up to the house.

Esa reached the door first and gave a knock on the wooden door to hear a tiny voice inside. "Enter my children. Enter and come to me," the voice said.

Michiru entered the house first and widen her eyes at the sight before her. There was a purple velvet curtain that hung from the ceiling and made there way around the room to give the room a tent-like scene. In the middle of the room was a crystal ball with a Royal Male Jubjub sitting behind it.

"Welcome! Welcome to my humble home!" the Jubjub said. "I am Sajona at your service!"

"Heya Sajona! It has been some time since we have seen each other," Melina said.

"Hello Miss Melina! Who have you brought with you?" Sajona asked.

Michiru felt a bit shy, but decided it was her time to speak. "I am Michiru Silverfayt of Faerieland," she greeted.

"Ah… A Demi-Dark Faerie that you are. But there is no true darkness in your heart to corrupt it. I see that something has left your heart broken though," Sajona said.

Michiru was struck at the mystic for how he came right on about herself. She looked at him and wondered if he really did have some power.

"Can you help her Sajona? She needs a ring like mine. She is one of the older humans that came here," Melina said.

"If in fact he can help," Esa muttered think this was a waste of time.

Sajona gave Esa a quick glare and smiled at Michiru. "I can indeed help you Michiru with this problem, but you need to help yourself in this process. We can make the ring, but I must warn you that once you do return to the human world is that time there is slower than over here," Sajona said.

_The human world may be dangerous, but it is up to you. I feel that the first part of our quest is there… A lot of things have changed since you came here, and the ones you love might not be around or recognize you. _The Orb told her in plain words what Michiru needed to hear. The place she once called her home would not be the same, but she must go though the void to get to the end of her goal.

"Fine then. Esa can stay with Melina until I return," Michiru said.

"I would be happy to. The boys at home need some girl bossing them around other than me," she joked.

"Fine then. Come here and place your hand on the crystal ball," Sajona said.

Michiru placed her hand on the ball and felt the power within pulsing under her hand. Sajona said some words she never heard before and she felt a pull on her whole body. It was like lifting off the ground for flight, but instead of having wings, it was the wind that was raising you up into the air. Everything becomes blurry around her and then it all went white. She felt herself land hard on something wooden surface. She blinks her eyes to see the pool that she had left so long ago in front of her as her body laid on the deck.

She was home, but was it really her home anymore? Was her grandparents still around? Did they forget about her? She lifted herself off the ground to get up and felt something cold under her hand. There she saw a silver ring with a diamond in the center glinting up at her in the sunlight.

_If you place it on your hand and wish yourself to return to Neopia then the ring will return you to where we belong. You are lucky that I am able to still be connected with you even here, _the Orb said.

"Yes, but where is here is the question. Is this truly the home I left those years ago or is this someplace where I don't belong," Michiru asked as she placed the ring on her left ring finger without realizing it. She decided to sneak down the steps and look outside towards the front of the house. She saw people and hid under the window and watched as she realized that this was her family.

Her brother looked the same as he always did, but he only looked three years older than she last saw him when he was 16 years old. He had his blond hair and baby blue eyes still shone in the sunlight and his muscles were just as big as they always were.

Her father was the same as she last saw him as well with his strawberry blond hair and his blue eyes glaring at her brother as they worked together to get lights on the roof. It was then she noticed the cold chill air and decided it must be sometime in the winter.

She waited there until they went inside the house before she came out of the backyard by the way of the door her father made and looked at the place that was once her home. She watched as the figures moved about the house as if there was something they were planning.

"Should I knock? Would they even remember me?" she asked herself.

_You don't know till you try young one, _the Orb said.

She saved up her courage and walked up to the door and was about to knock when her brother open the door to see her. She stared at her like she was a ghost as he slowly realized who he was looking at.

"Michiru? Is that you?" he asked.

"It is me brother. I have traveled far and now I am home," she said and with that tears came from her eyes as she fell into his arms.

"Michiru, I can't believe it. Everyone thought you were dead!" her brother gasped. "Father! Father! Come here!"

"What is it Mark?" the familiar voice of her father asked as he came to the door. He saw Michiru in Mark's arms and the color from his face flushed away. "Michiru! But how?"

Michiru felt weak as the tears still continued to run and closed her eyes. "I don't know. It feels like a dream, but it wasn't. I don't know what is real anymore."

Michiru saw her grandmother as her father and brother took her inside and found out her grandfather was in the hospital for cancer. She felt the familiar feel of her grandmother's embrace as she told the three of them the story of what happen to her. Of course they did not believe her.

"There is no way that could have happen! There is no proof that a world called Neopia exists!" her brother argued.

"It does! I'm telling the truth! You don't even know what I've been though. Fighting the Drakens and using the Magics of the Faeries. I can prove it!" Michiru debated.

"Then prove it to us Michiru," her grandmother said.

Michiru nodded and went though her mind to find the right spell to use. Since she only wanted to show them she decided that the best way to do that was to caste a Dark Vision Spell which would allow her to see someone far away. She only hoped it worked in this world.

She felt the words come to her lips as her family watched a black orb float in the air in front of them and saw a handsome man with white hair and violet eyes. Michiru felt anger course though her and dispelled the orb before she could get any farther.

Weakness overcame her as the spell drain her energy and she fell to the ground only to be caught by her father.

"You have been though a lot my daughter," he said in a soft tone. "Now it is time for you to rest."

The story to tell was that Michiru was kidnapped by a man and was taken far away into another state where she somehow escaped from him and had been wandering for the three years that she had been missing in this world and somehow by a miracle found her way home.

The story itself made the papers in the next few days and Michiru felt alienated with the lie she had told. The reporters kept coming to the door and asking for interviews with her, writers wanted to write her story, old friends or people she knew and never liked visited to see the famous Michiru. The miracle child that had been gone for three years and just appeared at the door as if by magic. And no one knew that it was really by magic in the first place.

Governors wanted to meet her, her mayor wanted to show her off to the public and her dad pushed her to meet them and do as ask. She made up an elaborate story with details of the lie so the people would be satisfied.

Michiru missed Esa and her home in Faerieland, but she still needed to find the Orb. One day she had gotten an offer to travel to each state and talk to people about her story live. The public wanted it and this also gave a good chance for Michiru to find the stone. She accepted the offer and from there started her journey across the US searching for the Orb that was lost so long ago.

Maine, New York, Kentucky, California, Florida, and even Utah she traveled searching for the Orb to no prevail. Finally it came time to travel to Alaska for her last show. It had been over six months since her travels begin and knew that if she couldn't find it here then she would have to find a way to travel across the seas.

The town of Hell, Alaska was a small town near the reaches of the North Pole. It was bitter cold and Michiru pulled her coat closer to herself as she got out of the limo in front of a hotel. It was then she felt a strong aura strike her in place and she knew that the Orb was here.

"Miss Michiru we must get inside," one of the bodyguards said. "We don't want you to get a chill now do we?"

Michiru nodded and followed the guard inside the five star hotel and watched as he checked her in. The people stared at her as she stood there with the guard and felt red in the face. It was different here than she once remembered. The world she once knew as her home wasn't her home any longer.

The guard put a hand on her shoulder and led her to the elevator to go to the penthouse on the top floor for their stay. The penthouse had two rooms so the guard slept in the penthouse with her during the duration of the stay. She would have the story tonight and tomorrow was her free day before they set back home. Tomorrow would be the time to go searching for the Orb, but she needed to ditch the guard first.

The day was bright and cold when she woke up from the warm covers of the bed she was sleeping in. The guard was still sleeping as she passed his door and saw her chance to escape from his eye. She quickly grabbed her gear and the sword she hid, the sword wasn't a metal a metal detector could detect so it passed though without notice. Plus her disguise spell upon the blade made it look to be a board game so the x-rays couldn't find the truth that it was really a blade. She didn't want to go unarmed incase there was something guarding the Orb.

She was wearing a heavy sweatshirt and sweatpants with a special coat that held the cold at bay. She placed on her gloves and then opened the door to the apartment and followed the aura she was feeling out of the hotel and out of the town itself.

The frozen tundra crunched underneath her boots as she made her way past the trees of the forest outside of the town. The aura had steady gotten stronger the more she entered the forest ahead of her. The breath came out in a mist as she took deep breaths to get the air in her lungs and to keep her warm.

_It is close… Soon you can return to Neopia and finish your task. _The Orb said.

"But I have to return to my family first. I just can't leave like that again," Michiru said out loud to the Orb.

_Do as you will… But much time has past over here. Almost 3 years pasted by here. _The Orb replied.

Michiru made a small nod as she entered a clearing where she noticed a frozen waterfall in front of her. The clouds moved around in the sky as she made notice of the waterfall and the river near her as she made her way towards it. The aura was at its strongest here and she knew the Orb must be close by.

The clouds slowly parted and let a ray of sun shine though and land on the waterfall itself. Michiru noticed the ray and followed it till she saw a bright glow coming from inside the waterfall.

"The Orb of Light!" she exclaimed as she rushed towards the side of the waterfall. The ice was nice and solid so Michiru didn't have to worry about falling in. She went up to where the glow came from and place her hand on the ice. There would be no way to get it out without melting the ice itself. She cast a simple heat spell and made her hand go deeper into the melting ice until she felt her hand grab something.

When she pulled her hand out she held up a white orb that shone golden in the sunlight. She placed it in her jacket and turned around to leave. Just then she heard a cracking of the ice under her and then she felt herself falling into the icy water. The water felt like knives as she tried to swim up. She had no time to cast any spells when something slimy wrapped around her foot and pulled her under the ice.

Michiru trashed around trying to get free of the slimy thing and looked in surprise as she saw a giant Maraquan Hissi wrapping itself around her leg and moving up towards her body. She quickly cast an underwater breathing spell and grabbed her sword to battle with the Hissi. She guessed the magic of the Light Orb must have transferred this Hissi here to guard the Orb from anyone from taking it.

The Hissi pulled tighter around her and she lost her grip on the sword hilt and couldn't pull it out. The spell only lasted for a certain amount of time and she needed to get free of its grip. She finally got a firm grip on its tail and pulled free of it and swam up towards the hole she came though while pulling her sword out at the same time.

The Hissi glared at Michiru and swam at her with its fangs showing. She blocked the main charge but the Hissi went to the right and slashed her shoulder with one of its fangs as it passed on by her. The blood tickled out into the cold water and she knew she must get out of hear soon.

The Hissi came around again and wrapped around Michiru before she could attack around the waist and applied pressure on her lungs. Breathing became harder for her and the spell was almost done. The sword in her hand came down and sliced off the Hissi's head with the stroke.

The last of the spell went away as Michiru pulled off the Hissi's body and swam up towards the opening in the ice. She weakly lifted herself up from the cold water shivering as the cold wind blew around her making Michiru even more frozen. The blood from her should dye the snow red as she finally got clear of the icy water and closed her eyes. Darkness took her away as she laid there in the snow.

To Be Continued…

Note: Thought that this was going to take only two chapters, but it looks like it won't. I hope you are enjoying my story so far! R&R!


	3. A Dying Reunion

_Michiru shivered as she recalled the memory of the icy water as you sat there watching. You could tell that this story was only the beginning of another adventure for Michiru. _

_"Do you miss the human world?" you ask her._

_Michiru gave you a surprised look and shook her head. "I do not miss it, but I do return to show the others that I am still alive and well. So much time has pass by since those days and the humans found other ways to enter Neopia and travel about. I still use the ring for my travel, but not much of the humans use that way anymore. This is my home here now, and I wouldn't change anything that has happen for it," she says._

_You understood her words as she said them to you. Michiru must have of lived here so long in Neopia that the home she once knew couldn't be her home anymore. She became accustom to the world and to return to the human world would be like cutting a bird's wings. She had freedom here that she never had before._

_"Can you continue or are you leaving me hanging here?" you ask._

_"Ok. Ok. Well to start off."_

Michiru found herself filled with the chaotic energy that she felt so long again when she had gotten sick. She basked in the energies, but it wasn't in the Orb she realized. The energy was coming from within her body. The power the gathered up that she never realized that she had. This was the energy she was using against Blake. This was how she was able to use her Magics without the necklace.

The chaos surrounded her threatening to consume within its grasp. This is what she was warned about that the Orb could make a person go insane. The powerful force that came at her was filling her head with images that ran too fast to take notice.

The fact was that the Orb was well hidden back in Neopia. Michiru knew that if she still had the Orb inside of her that it would have indeed taken over her mind. The confusion of what was happening around her was drained away when she felt the cold again on her face.

It turned out that the guard noticed her missing only 30 minutes later after she left and followed her trail in the woods. She was lucky to have survived between the time she got out of the water and the time it took him to get to her. The guard wondered at why Michiru was out that far in the forest, but concentrated on getting the girl warm.

Michiru thought she felt a familiar touch on her face. A touch she had almost forgotten in her mind that she wanted to forget. She saw his face in her mind. His bright white hair, his dazzling violet eyes, the soft skin that he touched her with. She was still in love with Nero.

"Silly Dragon," she could hear him say, "You know not to go out in the cold like that my love."

Michiru opened her eyes wide open to find herself back in the hotel with her shoulder bandaged up. She saw the guard watching her and he gave her a frown. She knew she would have a lot of explaining to do before they left.

Back with her human family at last and not a moment too soon. The trip was making her weary and she was lucky that the guard did not see the Dragonfang when he found her. She didn't know how she hid it, but when she got back to New Jersey the blade was in the suitcase where it was before with the spell on it.

She missed Esa and her bed in Faerieland as she ate dinner that night in the house. She missed the Faerie food she would eat and flying around with the Faerie children. Michiru felt lost in the human world now and she knew that she must explain to her family that she must return to Neopia to finish her task at hand and also that she wants to stay there.

It was an early summer morning when she woke up in her bed of the house she considered her human home. Her bright emerald green eyes shone in the sunlight that leaked though the windows when she looked out into the street to see the daily summer activities at hand. Garbage being collected, the mailman delivering the mail, the Courier Post car pulled up into the driveway and threw the paper at the door.

Michiru uncovered herself and slightly kicked at the cat that was on top of her right leg sleeping its day away. Its mew could be heard though out the house as she got up from the bed and felt her bones crack. Everyone else was asleep and Michiru saw a chance to pack up what she would need for the trip ahead of her. She collected a strong piece of rope that was once used for the dog they didn't have anymore, some blankets from her own bed, a couple canteens from an old camping set, and an old black velvet cloak that belonged to her sister.

Her grandmother was the first to wake and she noticed the tension in the house. She went into the bathroom and got done her business and by the time she was done the whole house was awake. They all sat at the table with Michiru sitting at its head awaiting her grandmother to tell them all the news.

"What is this about?" Michiru's grandmother asked.

"I am returning to Neopia to finish the task I was given," Michiru said calmly.

Her father slammed his fist down on the table causing a crack on its surface as he glared at Michiru. "You are not leaving this house if you know what is good for you Michiru!" he growled.

Michiru returned his glared and sighed. She knew this wasn't going to be easy. "And that is why I am returning. I don't belong here anymore Father. You don't understand what I have been though for the past three years there. You can't even comprehend the feeling it is to not belong in the place you had once called your home. Do you want me to be happy?" Michiru asked.

"I want you to stay here," he grunted.

"That's not what I asked. Do you want me Father, to be happy?" Michiru asked again.

Michiru's father gave a sigh and looked at Michiru. "I don't want to lose you again?" he replied.

Michiru gave him a compassionate glaze and smiled at him. "You won't be losing me. I'll return when I can. I belong over there; it's just a plain fact for me. I know where I belong, but I know it is not here," she said.

"We understand Michiru, but we are going to miss you," Mark said.

"And I have always missed you all," Michiru said as she slipped the ring on her finger and disappeared in front of their eyes. To them it was only a flash of golden light before they didn't see her no more. It was like she was never there in the first place.

Michiru was back where she belonged at last; back in the world of Neopia. She was by the Money Tree like the day when she first saw Melina. It was busy at the tree like before with all the humans pushing each other around trying to grab the items that were around the tree's roots. A familiar red fur coat weaved its way though the mass and dropped a bag by one of the roots and quickly moved out of the way before the hoard of greedy Neopets ripped at the bag to get the Neopoints inside.

"Esa! Esa!" Michiru called out into the crowd. The ears of the red furred Neopet perked up and laced over towards Michiru to reveal the small red Kacheek. A smile grew on her face as she ran at Michiru and tackled her to the ground.

"Michiru! It has been so long! Three years in fact!" Esa cried out as she hugged the now suffocating Demi-Faerie.

"Yea. Now let go of my neck." Michiru muttered as she pushed Esa off to get up from the ground.

Esa grinned even more as she rolled off of Michiru and onto the ground. Their adventure was to begin again at last. "Melina left Neopia some time ago. She went back to the human world and never came back," Esa said.

"I guess that will happen now since it is easier to get back and forth," Michiru said, "I wonder who found the way to make that happen in the first place."

Esa gave Michiru a stare and shook her head. "I don't know, but it can't be a good thing if all the humans around here do is hang out at the tree all day and be greedy about taking items from it," she said.

"There will be people like that Esa. I am sorry to hear that Melina left, but I do have good news," Michiru said as she pulled out the small Orb of Light from her pocket. Esa widen her eyes at the golden orb as Michiru slipped it back in her pocket.

"Then where do we go from here?" Esa asked.

_Darigan…_ a voice whispered in Michiru's head.

"It's off to Darigan we go," Michiru said after the voice was gone from her mind. "There we will find the next orb for our journey."

Darigan was finally before the two adventurers as they stopped before the great moving castle. It was before Darigan was found near Meridell and only a few Faeries knew about the place before them. The land was deserted around them as Michiru caste her flying spells and lifted both herself and Esa up towards the castle. The doors into the city were blocked by two Darigan Lupes and Michiru landed before them.

"What human would dare approach Lord Darigan's Castle?" the one Lupe snapped as she dropped Esa unto the hard surface of the floating city.

"I am no mere human Lupe. I am Michiru the Demi-Dark Faerie and I am here on business that will only be heard by Lord Darigan alone," Michiru said with a fierce tone.

The Lupe nodded in surprise and directed Michiru and Esa to go inside the city. It was dark in Darigan as they walked up the streets, weaving their way though the crowds that were staring at the two travelers heading towards the castle. Stares of jealousy, fear, and hate could be felt from them directed at Michiru and Esa.

The castle came before them and a Zafara directed the two inside and closed the doors from the onlookers outside. The hallway ahead of them was filled with blood red drapes that were slowly rotting away leaving only the golden trimming that kept them together.

The rug was already rotted and the castle gave off a damp smell as it wasn't clean in years. The Zafara led them down a corridor until they came upon a throne room where sat a Darigan Korbat of a great size. His long fingers tapped against the handles of the chair he sat in. His face studied Michiru as his glaze moved about her body as if he was looking for a weakness in her.

"So…" he said, "You really are a Demi-Faerie. It is rare for a human like you to become one."

"It is rare for I am the first and only human Demi-Faerie known in Neopia," Michiru said. "I see your Kingdom is getting worse by the day as well."

"All because of Meridell! If they didn't steal the Power Orb from us then we would still be the way we were," Darigan growled.

"As I understand, but now I am looking for another Orb. One you might have heard of Lord Darigan. The Orb of Darkness to be exact," Michiru said.

Darigan glared at Michiru at the mention of the Orb and let out a low growl. "I could know of it, but what is it to you?" he asked.

Michiru came closer to him and warned Esa to stay where she was. It was even dangerous for her to do it to the Korbat. "The Drakens are building an army even grander than the one Nero's grandfather had back with the Draken Uprising. Now I know you were around during that time my Lord and you remember that he helped Meridell in taking the Power Orb from you all those years ago. Do you want King Nero banging down your door and taking what you have left? He already did that to Cizar, and he won't hesitant to do it to Darigan as well."

Lord Darigan looked at her with fear in his eyes. He remembered indeed what happen during the Draken Uprising, he was one of the few left who did. The memories of the Drakens raiding the castle and taking their treasure that they had protected for so long. Darigan couldn't let that happen again.

"I will help with what I can," he sighed at last, "But make me a promise Michiru. Promise me that you would help me when we attack Meridell. Promise to be one of my Generals in the battle to take what is rightfully ours."

Michiru understood his request and she knew what it meant. She nodded her head as she took his claw. "I promise Lord Darigan I will fight on your side to get back the Power Orb. It was injustice on what Meridell did to you and I will help make things right again," she said kneeling to the ground.

Esa watched what Michiru did and came up by her side. "I promise to join your side as well Lord Darigan. I will do anything Michiru ask me to do, but I feel that I need to make this promise to you as well," Esa said kneeling at his feet.

Darigan smiled at them a motioned them to rise. "Then it is agreed. I cannot tell you much about the Orb of Darkness except that it lies deep within the catacombs under the castle. Even I don't know what lies there anymore, but there might be one who does," he said.

Darigan summoned one of his guards that were by the door and whispered an order in his ear. The guard nodded his head and quickly padded sown the corridor out of Michiru's sight. Esa wondered at who Darigan was bringing, she knew of Darigan and heard the tales that came from the traders back in Cizar. She heard about how horrifying and cruel the Lord was. Esa was surprise by how she learned how caring he really was in truth.

Michiru heard someone walking down the hallway towards the throne room where they were. The two guards that went on the erring entered the room with someone else behind them. It was a Darigan Eyrie wearing heavy black armor. At his side was a sword that was purple like his fur. A green amulet was hanging around his neck.

"Ahh… Commander Kass, it is nice to you to come at my call," Darigan said with a smile. "I have a job for you."

Kass gave his leader a look of disgust and scanned Michiru and Esa, but his glaze remained on Michiru. "What is a human doing here? They are not to be trusted," he growled.

"Watch it bird boy," Michiru snapped at him, "I can turn you into Faerie Dust if I wanted to."

"Oh yeah you filthy human? How can you do that I wonder?" boasted Kass.

Michiru glared and silently cast a spell that made a rope appear and it wrapped itself around Kass making him fall to the ground.

"Teach ya to call me filthy little birdie," Michiru replied.

Darigan snapped his fingers to get the attention of the three of them. "Alright enough…" he said. "Kass you are dealing with a Demi-Dark Faerie so watch your tongue in the future or you may not have it any more."

Michiru released Kass of the spell and let him get up off the ground with a smug smile on her face. Commander Kass will not forget her that easily now at most. He gave her an icy cold stare and he dusted off himself.

"I will keep that in mind," he muttered.

"Good, now you are to take Michiru and Esa down into the catacombs of the castle and assist her in searching for an artifact of great importance," Darigan said with a smile as he observed the look of horror on Kass's face.

"WHAT? Take HER into the sacred grounds and let her take something out of it? You can't be serious my Lord," Kass shouted.

"You are and you will unless you want to be demoted Kass. You are the only one who knows the catacombs the most and you know where the danger areas are. You will assist Michiru and that is an order," Darigan ordered.

Kass gave another look of disgust towards Darigan and turned to leave the room. Michiru and Esa followed behind him.

Dark, musty, wet, and stinky are the words that described the catacombs as Michiru wadded though the murky water of what was left of the underwater springs that used to be underground long ago.

Kass felt no difference in the water and wadded though like it was just grass under his claws. He didn't acknowledge her at all and there was no talk as they made their way though the tunnels.

Michiru felt the faint pull of the Orb as they came to a dry room fill with coffins. Esa went to peak in one of them, but Kass held the Kacheek back. "Don't touch them. They are filled with Darigan Techo eggs and the newborns are still poisonous enough to kill you, even if it does take a few hours."

Esa looked at the coffin and backed away from it slowly. Michiru sniggered at Kass as he gave her another glare. "I bet you want me to put my hand in there," she said.

"I wouldn't mind it. I could never trust humans or even Demi-Faeries like you. Your kind gives this world a bad name," Kass said.

"Well you can still leave me to wander around here with Esa and we would get lost only to slowly die of hunger and thirst," Michiru stated.

Kass turned around on her and trusted his sword into her face. "Look! I do not like you and I would leave you here to die in a heartbeat! Your weak kind doesn't deserve to step on these grounds at all! I am doing this to get myself higher in the eyes of Lord Darigan and get promoted to being his right-hand man. I won't like some filthy Demi-Faerie ruin that for me!" Kass snapped.

Michiru's smile went even wider as she heard his words. She placed her hand on his shoulder. "You think all of us are alike my Kass? You, who know nothing of power or how to claim it for yourself, one who can't even comprehend what true power is? You are a fool to underestimate beings you know nothing about," Michiru said sternly.

Esa watched the two with interest, but she agreed with Michiru. It is never good to underestimate anyone by first glace.

Kass was thoughtful about Michiru's words, but he still hated the girl. He decided to soften her up and find out exactly what she was looking for.

"So Michiru, what is it are you looking for exactly?" he asked.

"I am looking for a small glowing orb. I need it to complete the set of three orbs to create a powerful sword that will defeat the Drakens," Michiru explained.

"A glowing orb? What can a glowing orb do to win the war?" Kass asked.

Michiru gave him a smug look and continued to walk ahead of him. Kass gave her a questioning look and took a glace at Esa. "Is she always like this?"

"Since I had known her," Esa said with a smile. "Never gives a straight answer."

"I hate humans…" Kass muttered as they continued to walk into the darkness.

The group soon fell in total darkness all around them. Nothing could be seen, but Michiru felt the walls fall away and she knew they were in a room.

"Watch it… There is something here…" Kass muttered.

"I felt it… The Orb is so close…" Michiru said.

Esa made her way blinded in the darkness until her paw came to rest on top of something soft. She froze in place as a hand grabbed her arm and pulled her into the darkness. "Mich…" she cried out as another hand clapped over her mouth.

"Esa!" Michiru worked her spell and made flames appear around her. Unlike the normal orange flames, these flames were silver. There she saw someone she thought was dead. "Vux! You were dead! I saw your body!" Michiru cried out.

The friend she thought dead was standing in front of her wearing a pure black dress, her hair was longer now, but no one could mistake those silver eyes of hers. It was Vux. She smiled coldly at Michiru that sent a shiver though her spine. Esa was in her arms with her mouth covered.

"My old apprentice, it has been some time since Terra's demise. I did not die, that was another Faerie made to look like me. Nero paid greatly for my services into helping the Drakens get into Terra," Vux said.

"You betrayed Terra? Why?" Michiru asked.

Vux gave her a stern look. "I wanted to leave Terra. I hated it there among the flowers and the kindness. When I first saw you, I knew you were special. I wanted to show you the good life of being a true Dark Faerie, but you don't even act like one! You betrayed me first Dragon!" Vux shouted.

"Dragon is dead Vux. She died in Terra along with the care free kindness she knew," Michiru said.

Kass then grinned as he pulled out his sword and plunged it into Michiru back. "I'm sorry to ruin the reunion, but Nero made me a promise and I will do my duty to become Lord here."

Michiru watched as the blood poured out of her chest and dyed the color of the dirt to a muddy red. Mouth came up from her mouth and she looked as Vux smiled gleefully at her.

"I will see you in the afterlife Dragon. Too bad we couldn't talk longer. I will make sure to take good care of your little friend here," Vux said.

"Michiru!" Esa screamed. "Michiru don't die! Don't you die here!"

Vux hit Esa on the head and knocked her unconscious as Michiru landed on the ground in her own blood. Vux and Kass smiled over her and turned to leave though the tunnel. Michiru felt her life slipping away. Again she was faced with death. Again she was slowly dying and Nero has won yet another battle.

"Nero…" she sputtered, "I will not… die… here… I won't… let you win…" Michiru felt the Orb's power come around her in an attempt to save her, but the lost of blood was too much. She fell into the darkness again, but will she come out this time?

Note: So this chapter is shorter, but it gets across. Did I die? Did I find someway to survive? Who knows? You have to wait until the next chapter hehe…


	4. The Battlefield of Ashes

_You shift in the chair you are sitting in as you look at Michiru. She seems distracted by the memory of how it felt to feel the blood of your life to run out of your body. It was no wonder she joined Meridell during the second Darigan VS Meridell war which Kass started. She knew Kass even before he took over as Lord and felt his blade._

"_Are you sad that you didn't kill Kass yourself?" you ask._

"_Sad? He died and that is all there is to it. I saw his death in the end. That flash of green light as he turned to dust is still there in my mind. Not much people know I went back to the battle after leaving Kylilea with Esa. I went back and saw what outdone him," Michiru says as she gets up from her chair and walks under the picture to the dresser underneath it. She opens one of the drawers and pulls out a black box. _

"_I have the last piece of him as a reminder," Michiru started to say. "Here is the proof that I beat him in the end, even if I wasn't his death." _

_Michiru walks towards you and opens the box and you see the amulet that was once around Lord Kass's neck. It was the amulet that once housed the Three. _

"_Are you crazy? Isn't the Three still a threat if you keep that around?" you ask._

"_I would like those fools try to get the better of me," Michiru boast. "They can't control me, even if they did try."_

_You shift in the chair again as she gives you a stare filled with cold laughter. It was a different side of Michiru. A side that turn cold after all she went though, the person she became the day when the one she loved turned his back on her and sentenced Michiru to death._

_You could tell the story isn't over yet. That in fact, you need to hear more of what happen to Michiru. The liquid from the tome of knowledge has spilled upon your tongue and you want to taste more, but at what cost will this knowledge come?_

Michiru was lost in the darkness that swallowed her whole. The coldness of the abyss closed in on her, but she struggled to fight back at the darkness, it wrapped its grip around her body to pull her closer towards death with its icy grip.

"No! I want to live! I have to live until…"

"To live is to die Michiru… All that lives must die. What makes you difference?" a voice asked though the darkness.

"Because I want my heart back… I want to take back what was stolen from me. I can't die without a heart," Michiru replied.

"Then let us deal with you… Give us something in return for life Michiru Dragonwolf. What is your offer?" the voice says in the darkness.

Michiru thought about it for a long awhile. The decision was a hard one to make. What would be worth giving for her life?

"I'll give you the only thing I have, the feeling of love. It is a thing I do not want, yet that hurts the hardest. I'll give you the feeling of love for my life," Michiru said.

"If you give me that you will be alone for the rest of your life and you will die alone. There is no turning back once the deal is done Michiru. Grab the Orb in front of you to finish the pact," the voice said and a black orb appeared in front of Michiru.

Michiru hesitated as she reached for the orb. It was the Orb of Darkness that she sought. This was part of her quest, her death here was just another path laid down before her. As she grasped her hand around the orb everything she once felt for Nero, Feliea, Vux, and even her family went away into the darkness below her. Only anger and hatred towards Nero was left. Her soul was now tainted and there was no turning back to the person she once was. Too late to be that little girl who refused to wear shoes who was allowed to be carefree.

Michiru felt herself rising from the darkness and she opened her eyes to find herself on the ground in a field barren of any life at all. It was the newly name Terra that was once called Cizar in the mountains. The dirt on the ground was actually white ashes and the trees around her were burned and charred

A cold wind swept though the ashes, getting them into Michiru's eyes and blinded her. Her hands shot up to get the ashes out of her eyes and leaned her head towards the ground to block her eyes from the ashes flying on the wind. Never before has she felt so much emptiness inside of her. Her love was gone, so there would be no happiness, no laughter, no joy, and even no hope.

The wind stopped and Michiru slowly raised herself off the ground covered in the ash. She trudged though the ashy snow towards the mountains a head of her where she knew the city would be.

Tears slide down her eyes smearing the ashes on her face as she walked on in the ashes. These weren't the ashes from volcanoes, the mountains have been inactive for years, and these were the ashes of something worse. They are the ashes of the Neopians who lived here not long ago.

Michiru's stomach churned from the thought of inhaling pieces of other people. She held it as she ran though the grey snow until she came upon an abandoned shack and forced her way inside the building. There she retched upon the floor from the sickness that was in her stomach only moments earlier.

"What had Nero done to this place? How could he do this to the citizens of Cizar?" she cried out in despair. She felt lost and alone where she was. She could only feel the suffering in her heart; it was looking for something that would never be there again.

_You are still young, yet you have grown old in such a short time. You gave up your love for revenge…_

"I did it to live… Only to live… I thought I couldn't be hurt anymore if I gave up the thing that hurt me most," Michiru said to the Orb in the darkness of the shack.

_Fear is something one must have as well as pain to grow. Getting rid of one problem will only create more, young Michiru. It is your choice in the end, and I cannot stop you. _

Michiru felt the weight of the words, but she pushed them away. "I cannot go back. The deal is done. My love is lost and forgotten," she said.

_Then a Kaque you are…_

"Oh just leave me be ya stupid Orb! Suffering is the price of life and now I must pay for the life I bargained for! I know the price and I am paying for it, but I am alive and that is all that matters!" Michiru shouted.

Silence was all that was heard for an hour and a half in the shack and finally the wind died down so Michiru knew it was safe to leave the shack. She couldn't stay here forever. Her eyes were red and her cheeks stained with the tears she cried. Sadness, despair, anger, and loneliness are the only feelings she has now. It is all that's left of Michiru.

The ashes were higher now, drifting to the ground to settle and go back to its rest. Michiru made her way though the ashes towards the palace again. It was then a memory struck her, a memory she hasn't remembered in a long time.

_Michiru was laying in the flower fields back in Terra next to Nero. He was as handsome as ever with his violet eyes looking into her emerald green eyes. Their clothing lay near them in another flower patch being shifted by the winds that blew from the ocean close by. _

"_I love you so much my dear Dragon," Nero said as he skimmed his fingers though her hair. "I never want to leave your side."_

_Michiru moved closer towards him to be in his arms and lay close to him. Her eyes half closed from the sentient feelings inside of her. _

"_What if someone found out my dear Nero? It is forbidden for us to love," Michiru said._

"_Shh… Don't say such things my dear. Nothing is forbidden if the feelings are there. If it was forbidden then we wouldn't feel this way about one another," Nero replied with tenderness._

_Michiru let his lips touch hers as they embraced a kiss. The feeling of his tongue in her mouth sent her senses on fire as she did the same to him. When they parted she closed her eyes._

"_Promise me one thing my dear Nero," she said._

"_And what is that my love?" he asked._

"_If we are ever parted then please promise to never to love another person unless I am dead. If you feel in your heart that I'm dead then and only then can you love again," Michiru said._

_Nero gave a laugh at her and pulled Michiru closer to himself. "I will promise that Dragon. I promise…"_

Michiru closed her eyes in pain at the memory. It was too much. The closer she got to him, the deeper the memories became, but she didn't feel anything from them, only the words she knew had the love she cannot feel no more, but the pain and the loss was still there. She realized that indeed the love was gone, but the pain that was caused by the love will never go away from her heart. She couldn't escape the pain like she thought she would.

"I made a mistake and now I must live with it…" Michiru said. It was then she saw the mass army of Faeries making camp in the ashes ahead of her. She wiped her tears away and looked around to see if she recognized anyone. Ayra was standing in the center of the camp and Michiru walked up next to her.

"It is good to see you again Michiru," Ayra said. "We thought you are on a quest still."

"The last orb is in the castle Ayra. Nero knows what it is and he took it to stop me from remaking the sword of Akeru," Michiru replied.

"Then you will lead the battle to start off the true war then?" Ayra asked.

"I will lead the way," Michiru said with a hidden smile. The time for revenge has come, pain or no pain, she had something to finish.

A fire burn though Michiru and the pain went numb inside of her. Now was the time for battle, and in battle there was no time for tears.

"When is the time to attack Ayra?" Michiru asked.

"At dawn General Michiru," Ayra said with a grin. "I will take the second unit and provide backup when it is needed."

"Many lives will be lost tomorrow…" Michiru said. It was hard for her to just have died and now she was going into battle yet again. Her sword felt light at her side as it was anticipating the battle ahead of them. Who knows how long this battle will last.

The sun rose from behind the mountains shining down on the grey ground. The troops where all in line waiting for orders from Michiru who was flying at the front with her spell wings. She was now wearing a light black armor with silver trimming on the sides with her black boots. Her raven-black hair was spread across her back weaving its strands though the wind that was building up.

On the other side of the field was the Drakens, lined up by their element. Michiru made sure Ayra had her troops facing the opposite element to gain an advantage. The Neopets readied themselves with their potions, bombs, shields, and weapons at their sides. The battle has begun.

"ATTACK MY FELLOW WARRIORS!" shouted Michiru as she flew towards the Drakens in fury with the Dragonfang rising high in the sky.

The two sides crashed together in a fury of blades. Bombs were being thrown into the masses, arrows shot though the air and one almost hit Michiru if she didn't do a flip to avoid it in the air. Magic spells fell out of the sky onto the oncoming army of Drakens. It was confusion, but at the same time it was all like a dance.

Kougras attacked with their claws, Shoyrus dived from the air with bombs and potions, Kacheeks caste their spells into the skies to rain down upon the Drakens, Unis and Faerie Neopets carried the injured off the battlefield to get treatment from the Water Faeries back at the camp, and the other Faeries fought with a combination of their sword skills and Magics.

Michiru meet blades with a Light Draken and fought him off to attack a Fire Draken who was throwing fireballs into the forces below. Her sword came down on him and entered his body so that he fell from the skies into the bloody battlefield below.

Another Fire Draken threw fireballs at her and caste a spell for a fire shield and blocked the attack. Michiru's blade meets his stomach and he fell out of the air with others that were falling as well.

Another blade meant hers as she turned around and she saw Blake in front of her. She growled at him and her eyes meet his which open in surprise.

"You're dead!" he yelled at Michiru.

"You can't kill me that easy Blake. Because of you the Orb of Akeru is now bonded with me. Nero can never touch the Orb now," Michiru said.

"There is no way the Orb would bond with a human! I will kill you here and now Dragon Dragonwolf!" Blake yelled as his sword came down.

Michiru blocked the sword off to the side and stabbed him though the opening he made in his defense. He backed away so the cut wasn't deep. "My name is Michiru now Blake. Dragon is forever dead, that I promise you," she said in a sneer.

"Then I will settle myself with killing you Michiru!" Blake shouted as his sword came at her again.

Their swords crashed together in a fury that was unlike what anyone has seen before. Both of their auras grew from the heated battle and now if came down just who would make the mistake first in their moves.

The Drakens were losing the battle below the two fighting opponents in the air. Ayra was cheering the soldiers on to chase away the Drakens, but they were holding their ground just like Blake was. Ayra realized Blake must fall in order to win this battle.

"Go beat him Michiru!" she shouted.

Another slash came from Michiru's side and she flew above Blake to miss the blade. She bought her blade down on him only to be block, but she kicked at the blade to dislodge it and she flew a few feet back.

Blake came at her at full speed and Michiru saw her chance to strike. She blocked the attack and swung her leg into his chest making him wavier in the air. She then took the Dragonfang and dug it deep into his back and watched him as he plummeted towards the ground.

"I'll… get… you Michiru Dragonwolf… I promise that…" Blake stammered as blood welled from his mouth. He disappeared into the cloud of ashes that now drifted across the battlefield.

The Drakens saw their General fall and they flew away for a retreat. Cheers and cries could be heard from the Faerie Army and Michiru let herself land on the ground. She was wounded on the side and had a slice on her back, but she was luckier than most.

Bodies of the dead lay across the battlefield, both of Drakens, Faeries, and Neopets who fought brave battles. "Burn them…" Michiru said to the Fire Faeries. "They deserve to join with the villagers here in this country of a graveyard. When this war is over we will build a wall here with all the names of those who died today."

The Fire Faeries nodded and went about to do their work. Michiru felt sick again, but this time she hid it well. Battle was never an easy task in the end. The destruction it causes will last for years, and once the land is healed, the place will never be the same again.

"The Cursed Kingdom of Terra," Michiru said as Ayra came up next to her.

"If only Esa was here today as well," she said.

"I will save Esa from that castle. There has to be a way," Michiru said.

Ayra smiled, but it was a strained one. "You can have hope, but that is all that's left. Nero knows you're alive now, and he wants you to come to him."

"Yes, I know he does. I am the key to the Orb because of the bond we now share. Trap or not, it was destined for us to meet in battle at the end."

"Yes it is fate that led you up to this point, but your choices are yours in the end," Ayra said.

"Then I will meet fate head on and knock on its door," Michiru said as the sun faded from the sky over the bloodied battlefield below it. The war has begun, and no one is safe from the losses that will come from it…

To Be Continued…

Note: I'm only cutting it short since this file is in school and today is the last day of school before winter vacation. Enjoy!


	5. A Forgotten Hero's Death

_You know look at Michiru with a new respect than you did before. Throughout all her hardships, she knew how to put others first. She lost her feeling of love to live, she suffers pain of the heart, yet she remained strong in the end. There was something more about her than you realize; something that she is keeping from you as you listen to her story._

"_It took many battles to reach the castle where Nero was. Many had sacrificed their lives for the good of the war, others were badly wounded. And I was badly wounded from one of the battles due to my ankle shattering from kicking an Earth Draken, who made a solid shield of metal from the minerals in the dirt._

"_The war seemed like it would never end, but there was one hope for them in the end. Ayra was the heroine of the battles back then. She even saved my life in the last battle before we reached the castle…"_

Michiru fought fiercely against the Drakens over the battlefield in the sky. The troops were getting wearied and she wasn't sure they would last much longer. From the ground Ayra directed the troops to counter and block the mass Draken forces heading at them.

The battle was only beginning this time and if the Faeries could break though the Draken's lines then the castle would be in their sights. Only 200 out of the 500 troops that came with them are left and the Drakens still had over 500 soldiers left on the field.

With the odds against them, Michiru knew the battle will end horribly unless somehow they could turn the tide of the battle. Her magic was draining and she couldn't cast anymore spells to protect herself. Her sword was the only thing protecting her from the Drakens' attacks.

Chaos filled the battlefield below as you noticed the pets that were fighting against the Drakens. Partially one would notice a small orange Lupe slashing his way though the ranks of the oncoming Light Draken unit in front of him.

Ayra was surrounded by a group of Drakens, fighting her way to find an opening with the Neopets that was fighting with her. Her sword rang as she countered the attacks around her, but one of the swords slashed though and cut her along the side.

Michiru let out a cry as she saw her friend fall in the battle, but there wasn't anything she could do. She was caught up in her own battle with a Fire Draken and it wasn't going well for her. A sword came at her head and she side rolled onto the ground to escape the blade.

The Draken came at her again as she rolled away to dodge another blow of the sword. She slashed her sword up and cut away at the Draken's wing. A wail of pain came from him as his wing turned to ashes.

"Damn all the Faeries!" the Draken screams. "We will destroy you all!" He charged at Michiru with his sword, but Michiru couldn't block it fully in time. The blade slashed across her shoulder sending the pain to her brain. The Draken came at her again only to be blocked by Ayra with her sword.

"Get out of here Michiru! Go to the castle now! We don't have much time left," she shouted at her. Michiru got off the ground and tears fell from her eyes as she lifted her sword.

"I can't go Arya! You are no condition to fight!" Michiru yelled.

"Heh… You are in no condition either Michiru, but only you can complete the task to stop Nero. Go before it is too late," Arya said.

Michiru reluctantly turned her back to the battle and made her way though the fighting to get to the edge. A scream piece though the sounds of battle, making her turn around to see Arya get stabbed though the chest. Arya had died to save her, but Michiru had no feeling for it. There was nothing to feel, but regret. She turned and ran into the brunt forest to find a place to rest before beginning the final battle.

She hid in an empty enclave surround by leaning rocks and sat down on the ground. Blood steeped from her wounds and she glanced around the area to look for something to bind her wounds up with.

Michiru was lucky that still some of the green was left in the forest and not all of it had been destroyed by the Drakens. She could still hear the battle cries from the field and shuddered from it. She needed to be with her troops.

_Not all battles can be fought with blades only to sacrifice your life in the end. You have your own battle to deal with. Rest while you can and regain the energy that you've lost… _the Orb said.

"I should still be out there. Arya is dead because of me, and there is nothing I can do about it," Michiru cried.

_Stop being depress young one. Crying over it won't bring her back from the dead. Honor her spirit and do what you were meant to do. Make the blade of Akeru._

Michiru ignored the voice and cried herself to sleep in the cold forest. The cold winds blew around the clearing as it drifted the ashes from the battlefield towards her. Michiru didn't even know how the battle ended, but here is what happened…

The orange Lupe was named Fireheart, he joined the Faerie Army soon after the Drakens killed his family. He was slashing his way though the many ranks of Drakens that came after him and his unit.

Left and right the fireballs, vines, gusts of wind, dark energy balls, and other magic came pelting at the unit, hitting them from all around. Scream of pain emitted from his comrades, but they stood firm with him as they slashed their way past the Drakens.

The battle froze as the dying scream of Ayra rang out though the clashes of battles. Fireheart noticed Michiru escaping across the field holding her wounds, but paid more attention to the Drakens. They thought that the battle was won when Ayra fell. He felt a fury rise in his chest and rush at the Draken who made the death blow.

His unit followed behind as they changed into the battle more fiercely than before. Fireheart ducked as his sword blocked a fireball from an oncoming Fire Draken and sliced him along the thigh.

Ashes flew everywhere as the unit tore across the battlefield to give courage to the other troops. Most of the soldiers were gravely wounded from their fights, but as they noticed the one group holding off the Draken Army their spirits grew stronger and joined back into the battle.

Fireheart was fighting with one of the Dark Drakens in an intense battle. It was there the battle was won, but a great hero fell. No one would remember his name, but the unit he was in would be forever known as the Drakebashers.

The swords clang as they brought them together for one final attack. Fireheart gripped his handle tighter and cut though the Draken's attack from below, but as he shoved his sword in the Draken's stomach. The Draken took a gasp and plunged his sword into Fireheart's heart and the battle ended when the unit went on a rampage for their fallen leader and sacrificed themselves to win the battle. The Drakens took a retreat and the Faeries cheered from above.

The Faeries and Neopets made camp where they could and settled in for the night. While Michiru was sleeping, the Faeries got together and ordered new ranks for the troops so they could continue the battle. Everyone thought Michiru was dead along with Ayra, but they could not find her body to burn along with the rest of the bodies.

Night crept upon the battlefield and the cold set in at last. Tomorrow everyone knew would be the day of change. The battle was almost done, but some knew that the war would go on secretly, even if they won the battles ahead. Each agreed on one thing. Either they would win the battle or they will perish and turn to ashes along side their comrades.

To Be Continued…


	6. The End of the Story

_If you ever had looked into a defeated warrior eyes, they say you can see your own defeat in them. To you, looking into Michiru's eyes as they were now felt a cold chill on the back of your neck as you stared into her eyes, feeling the same pain and suffering as she must have felt then. There was still something that chilled you more about the warrior. Something that wasn't normal. _

"_The poor souls that died that day I felt responsible for. Never before had I run from a battle, and on that day I did. I even knew Fireheart for awhile, but alas, only a few knew him and most had died. I miss Ayra so much as well, but even she wouldn't know me as I am now," Michiru said with a slight laugh._

"_So regret is what you feel for them?" you ask carefully, trying not to offend her in any way._

"_Regret is one of the many things I feel, but some stuff I cannot feel anymore. Never could to begin with, but you will come to understand that later. Nero was on the move, yet he himself never moved from the castle. The time for the final showdown came and it was time for Esa's rescue, and it was time to end the war, even if it was for a short time to the Faeries..."_

From the woods where I spent the night I made my way towards the castle of the once proud Kingdom of Cizar. Draken units patrolled though the areas around the castle and the town below trembled in fear of their new Draken King.

At that point in time my head was turning in different ways. My vision seems more blurred as I crept closer to the castle. I got sick many times on the road and finally made my way into the town.

The ashes didn't reach this far into the town though it seemed deserted. I heard the bangs of shutters slamming as I made my way though. Litter moved about on the ground from the strong cold winds of the mountains. I could feel everyone's eyes on me, though I could not see them. All the Neopets of the town were indoors hiding from whatever evil has fallen upon them. Never before had they ever lived in fear, and now it was a daily thing for them.

Walking though that town was the hardest thing I did that I could ever recall. To fell the fear there in the houses as I passed each door or window; screams from the minds of children as they hid in fear or cried for their parents which were now part of the raining ashes. These feelings that were going though me only made the sickness worse and I fell to the ground again only to pass out into the dark void yet again.

I woke up to be on a table in some kind of bar in the town with Neopians standing over me, I even saw some humans as well. Each of them looked worn and sadness filled their eyes. I saw no hope in them at all.

"Why are you here Demi-Faerie? This place is under rule of the Draken King and he will kill you," a Brown Grarrl said.

I pulled myself up with my head still spinning like before; it took me a few minutes to even stop my hands from shaking. "I came to end what I had started long ago," I whispered in a low voice, "I am Demi-Dark Faerie Dragon."

A hushed gasp came from the crowd around me for they had heard about the Demi-Faerie that Nero was once in love with. The single girl to stop him from getting the Elemental Orb of Akeru only because of the feelings they once shared. They also knew that Dragon swore to get her revenge on Nero for destroying her home.

"If you are indeed Dragon then we must help you," a Spotted Gelert said. "There is a passageway into the castle from here that Nero has yet to discover. This would be the only way into the castle." He went to a wall and banged on it three times and a door popped open in the floor.

I got onto my feet and looked down the dark hole, but I knew what I must do. I looked at the villagers for the last time, and if I ever saw them again, we wouldn't recognize each other.

I dropped down into a sewerage area that had long been abandoned before the Draken Wars as the Faerie Council calls it, but to the outside world I knew it would be know as the Faerie Wars; better yet, the Secret Faerie Wars.

My footsteps echoed in the sewer as I ran my way towards the castle. There was no time left to linger, the Faeries needed to win now or the Drakens would take over Neopia. Esa needed me as well, and I needed Esa more than I ever realized. Even if I couldn't love, I could still care for a person or Neopet alike.

I reached a shaft that was above me with no way to get to the top. I muttered a spell of levitation and slowly rose to the end of the shaft and entered a small wine cellar. Snores could be heard close by so I muttered a silence spell to make my feet silent as I quickly made my way to the door. As I reached it, I saw two Light Drakens sleeping from drinking too much of the wine in the cellar. Empty bottles littered the ground as well as the wine pouring out of the glasses that also lay on the floor.

All was quiet in the corridors as I walked them, but it seemed that they would last forever till I finally came to some stairs that led to a door. My eyes widen as the light on the morning sun came in so clearly since the door opened to an outside garden. It was then I saw the violet eyes looking at me calmly as I remembered them all those years ago.

Nero came slowly towards me as I stood, dumbstruck, from seeing him after all this time. The first time I had seen him since Terra and he was still as handsome as ever, but there was nothing but hate in my heart for him, yet I still couldn't move as he put his arms around mine, encasing me with his wings.

"My dear Dragon it has been so long since we last saw each other my dear," he chortled at me. "Time hasn't changed you at all."

"Time has done more than you realize Nero. I will get my revenge for what you have done to Terra," I said with my voice filled with malice. I took his arms and pushed him away from my body and pulled out Dragonfang.

He glared at me, but a smile came playfully onto his face. It was as he expected my reaction all along. He snapped his fingers and Vux appeared before him holding Esa by the back of her neck.

"ESA!" I cried out as I saw the bruises and cuts all over her body. "Let go of her Vux!"

"Michiru…" Esa gasped as she open her eyes from my voice calling out to her. "Nero doesn't have it…"

Vux let her glaze fall on Esa and threw her across the garden into the wall. "Don't say anything that makes no sense!" she growled.

I knew what Esa meant; Nero didn't have the last orb. I have failed the task that I was given. It was then I heard a voice cry out in pain from inside of me. My knees hit the ground and Nero lingered over me.

"You are so foolish Dragon! You have it inside of you don't you! Even after being warned you kept the Orb inside of you without taking it out! That would explain the talk about the three orbs, they don't exist and they never did! You are going insane from the chaotic energy inside of it!" he yelled at me.

It was now my turn to surprise Nero, to show him what the true power was that he craved for so long. "You are the fool Nero. I am far from insane since I am the Orb itself! I am Akeru! Michiru was just the vessel I needed to make myself what you see before you. I took her hatred, her pain, and her sorrows and used it take control of her body. She knows what I'm doing, but she is so far away, she hears your voice no longer," I said with a laugh.

Nero made a fist as he heard what I said to him; even Vux was taken aback by what I said. He could see the facts in my eyes; the Orb no longer existed because it had taken the form of a person inside a person. Anger flared even more in his eyes as he stared at me. Esa stared in horror as she listens to the truth.

"After the battle when the Michiru you knew passed out I took control of her mind, she gave me no fight for she was already so far away from the shock of losing her dear friend Ayra and she was afraid that she had lost Esa forever to you Nero. I made her imagine the attack in her world and getting the orb, I made her think that she was dying so she had to make the deal with death, I made her think that she couldn't feel love no more so she would weaken where I could easily gain control of what I needed to become truly alive. I might not been able to become a Faerie like I once was but being a Demi-Faerie is just fine with me," I explained with another laugh.

Nero charged at me with his blade which I easily blocked and pushed him away. The blade felt light in my hands than it did before as it accepted me as its new master. Nero kept charging fiercely at me, but he held back some, as if he still cared about the girl that was no longer here.

"Dragon! Come back! Fight Akeru and take back what's yours! I want to fight you and not that damn blasted orb!" Nero shouted.

"It won't help. She won't be able to hear," I said again. "Do you even know who I am and why I am what you see before you? I am Akeru the Chaotic Faerie. Before Fyora even got on that throne the Faeries and Drakens deemed I was unsafe and trapped me in the Orb that was to be guarded by a Faerie who would join with me in order to keep me in check. But I am now free to do as I please."

"And what is that? To take over Neopia?" Nero asked as he meets my blade against his again.

I laughed at the thought of ruling, but in truth it was a dull job for me. "No, I just wanted to live a normal life. I don't think that way, unlike what they thought back then; I was a nice Faerie till they trapped me. Taking over this girl's body was the only way to be free."

_There is always another way…_ It was a voice that shocked me. She was supposed to be lost in her mind, but yet she had enough power left to contact with me. Michiru's voice sounded calm and wise, the Dragon of long ago that she had given up.

"There is no other way," I growled as I blocked another of Nero's attacks. This time Vux aimed a dark energy ball at me and hit me in the back as Nero pulled away. I sent my own energy ball at her knocking her back against the wall next to Esa who was still on the ground shocked by the scene.

"There is always another way," Esa said as she jumped into the fray on top of me and pulled the necklace off my neck. A bright bust of white light flashed and I was thrown to the ground feeling pain s if my skin was torn off. When I could focus my eyes again I could see Michiru right in front of me, holding three small orbs in her hand.

"I have found your sword, but it is no longer yours to use," she said as the orbs glowed bright and a golden Light Faerie sword appear in their place. She threw the sword to Esa and collapsed to the ground. It seems that whatever happened to us, it used both of our energy to tear us apart from each other.

Nero saw his chance to attack Michiru, but Esa stabbed him in his side with the sword. Another burst of light appeared and Nero also fell to the ground. The sword had taken his power away from him. In the end Esa had ended the battle, but the war would still go on for many years, even if there was to be no more battles for a long while.

It was then I blacked out so I don't know what happen after that. It was lost in my memories, but I Akeru was free to be normal and live my life and not be trapped again.

"_And that is my story," she said with a sigh. "I am Michiru. I am Dragon. I am Akeru. I am the shadow of a great warrior no matter what the people find out. Though I had hurt Michiru in the end it seems. I found out that though she can remember some of the events that had happen, she went insane in the end, but there are times when she would be her normal self, the Dragon that is still inside of her. It is the twist to the story. There are many heroes and heroines in the story, but one will always remain the true hero even if this story isn't about her and that is Esabella," she finished._

_You looked at the girl, the one who calls herself now as Akeru. Understanding about the actions she took to get here. You get up from the chair and look outside to see light steeping into the room. Akeru gives you a look and gets up to leave herself. "The sun isn't a friend to me so this is where I leave you."_

_You want to stop her, to find a way to make her come with you, but you know that would be impossible. "I understand," you say as you open the door, "Tell me one thing. Do you love Nero?"_

_The question stopped Akeru from walking away and gave a look of sadness at you. "I only love him because the real Michiru still does. But what happens after the battle is for her to tell you since that is another tale." With that she disappears into a doorway and you go out into the sunlight of a new day in Altador. You never noticed before, but from the house you could see broken structures of ruins. You realize that the ruins must be the old Terra. You turn your head back towards Altador and makey our way back to the city. You have been satisfied in the end, but now where would you go? Would you continue your quest to find out more about the Drakens or would you try to see the Drakens in Terra yourself. _

"_This is where your story begins, and you know that this would be your choice alone. The story of the Secret Faerie Wars has now ended. There is nothing left to tell or share. Make your choice young one and make it the right one," a voice whispers on the wind. _

_You smile and make your way down the path, heading back to Altador. _

**The End**

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